Compare towns
Augusta vs Starks vs Chelsea
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
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 | Starks | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
556Lowest |
2,823 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
42.2±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Starks and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea 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% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chelsea and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Chelsea 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 |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$85,471±$10kHighest 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kHighest 32% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$182,300±$37k 39% below ME |
| Augusta and Chelsea 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 |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
| Chelsea and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,313 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Starks 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% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
36 minHighest 48% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | — | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.