Compare towns
Augusta vs Standish vs Wayne vs Waterville
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 kids (18.9% under 18).
Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
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 | Standish | Wayne | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
10,662 |
1,101Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Standish 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
| Standish and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Wayne and Standish 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 |
$983±$453Highest 14% below ME |
$983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Waterville 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 38 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.