Compare towns
Augusta vs Waterville vs Wayne vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Waterville | Wayne | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
17,077 |
1,101Lowest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
| Wayne and Brewer 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
| Brewer and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older 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 |
18 min 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | — | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 38 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Waterville Senior High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— | 14.0 |
| 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.