Compare towns
Augusta vs Starks vs Sidney
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 renters (46.2% rent).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
556Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Starks and Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest 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%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 |
| 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.