Compare towns
Augusta vs Strong vs Chapman
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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Chapman has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Strong | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,249 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Strong and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Strong 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman 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±$3k 36% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kHighest 32% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Augusta and Chapman 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 |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
— |
| Strong and Augusta 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Strong 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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.