Compare towns
Bangor vs China vs Mapleton 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).
China has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.8%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | China | Mapleton | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
4,526 |
1,884Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
| Augusta and Mapleton 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% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and China 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% |
21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| China and Mapleton 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 |
$240,000±$37kHighest 19% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| China and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,535 17% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 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% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and China 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | — | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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 |
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.