Compare towns
Bangor vs Windham vs Brewer 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Windham | Brewer | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
19,188 |
9,652Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
| Augusta and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 20% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Windham and Brewer 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 14 | Brewer Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Windham High School | Brewer High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
12.1Lowest |
14.0 |
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.