Compare towns
Manchester vs Cushing vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the highest household income ($92k).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
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.
| Measure | Manchester | Cushing | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424 |
1,460Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
| Cushing and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Manchester and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,600±$40k about the ME average |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116 13% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486 15% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 | RSU 38 | RSU 13 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Cony |
| 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.