Compare towns
Bangor vs Gray vs Windham 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).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Gray | Windham | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
8,429Lowest |
19,188 |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Gray 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Windham and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Gray and Windham 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Bangor 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
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.