Compare towns
Bangor vs York 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).
York has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | York | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
13,986Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| York 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% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| York and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$4,658Highest 53% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| York 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%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 |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | York Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | York High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
9.6Lowest |
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.