Compare towns
Bangor 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Augusta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,884Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest 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%Highest 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% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kHighest 26% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| Bangor and Augusta 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Mapleton 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | 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 |
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.