Compare towns
Belgrade vs Augusta vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the highest household income ($88k).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Belgrade | Augusta | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351 |
19,077Highest |
1,716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$919±$79Highest 19% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Augusta and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.