Compare towns
Augusta vs Sidney vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Augusta | Sidney | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
4,790 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Sidney and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.