Compare towns
Bangor vs Sidney 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).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Sidney | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
4,790Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Sidney and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 18 | 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.