What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bath	Augusta
People
Population	8,815Lowest	19,077Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Highest ME: +2.6%	-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.4±3Highest about the ME average	42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME
	Bath and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Augusta and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%	21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bath and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.5%Highest ME: 36.2%	28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Bath and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME	$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME	$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME	$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME
	Bath and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Highest 27% above ME	$2,465Lowest 19% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4%	49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bath and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	18.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.3%Highest ME: 74.3%	53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the ME average	19 minLowest 24% below ME
Work from home	19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9%	15.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bath 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	#31 of 133 in ME	#119 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy
High school in town	Morse High School	Cony
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Lowest	17.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.