Compare towns
Augusta vs Windham vs Sidney 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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Auburn has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Windham | Sidney | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
19,188 |
4,790Lowest |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Sidney and Augusta 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Auburn 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Auburn 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn and Windham 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
| Windham and Sidney 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 |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
| Sidney and Windham 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,687 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
22 min 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 14 | RSU 18 | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Windham High School | None in town | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | 13.1 |
| 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.