Compare towns
Augusta vs Wayne vs Auburn
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 affordable homes ($201k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Wayne | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,101Lowest |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Auburn 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
| Wayne and Auburn 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME |
| Auburn 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Augusta 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
22 min 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 38 | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.