Compare towns
Augusta vs Unity vs Sidney vs Hallowell
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).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Sidney has the most homeowners (89.4%).
Hallowell has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Sidney | Hallowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,858Lowest |
4,790 |
2,592 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
| Hallowell 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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
52.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$68,398±$10k 8% below ME |
| Sidney and Hallowell 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$295,300±$45k about the ME average |
| Sidney and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$890±$175 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,867Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Unity 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
58.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hallowell and Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 18 | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | Cony | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
12.4Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.