Compare towns
Eliot vs Townsend vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Eliot | Townsend | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
9,100Highest |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$8,092Highest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #136 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | North Middlesex | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.