Compare towns
Bangor vs Upton vs Brewer vs Augusta
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 most renters (52.8% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Brewer has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Upton | Brewer | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,652 |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bangor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 34% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Highest 23% below U.S. |
$919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Brewer and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the U.S. average |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$2,465Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
17 min 36% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brewer Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Blackstone Valley | Brewer High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
11.2Lowest |
14.0 |
17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.