Compare towns
Bangor vs Reading vs Auburn
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Reading | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
699Lowest |
24,602 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.4±2.7 6% above U.S. |
| Reading and Auburn 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Auburn and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$66,647±$5k 17% below U.S. |
| Reading and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$282,000±$12k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,041±$74Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Reading and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$3,687 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
22 min 18% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Auburn 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 | — | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.