Compare towns
Bangor vs Calais vs Dummerston vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
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 | Calais | Dummerston | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,713Lowest |
2,090 |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bangor and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 34% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the U.S. average |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$2,465Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | — | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | None in town | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
— | — | 17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.