Compare towns
Bangor vs Berwick vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Bangor | Berwick | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,998Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
42.6±3.6Highest 5% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Berwick and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$81,406±$39kHighest 9% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Berwick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$323,300±$36kHighest 9% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Bangor and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Berwick 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | — | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
— | 17.9Highest |
| 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.