What stands out worked out from the figures below

Braintree has the highest household income ($80k).

Augusta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).

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	Braintree	Augusta
People
Population	1,026Lowest	19,077Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S.	42.5±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Augusta and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average	$47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$217,700±$28kHighest 35% below U.S.	$201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S.
	Braintree and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S.	$919±$79Highest 35% below U.S.
	Augusta and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,908Highest 25% above U.S.	$2,465Lowest 21% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.2%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Augusta and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	19 minLowest 29% below U.S.
Work from home	19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Braintree 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	—	#119 of 133 in ME
School district	Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59	Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy
High school in town	None in town	Cony
Students per teacherat that high school	—	17.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.