Compare towns
Manchester vs Durham 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 oldest population (median age 46.9).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
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 | Durham | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Lowest |
4,262 |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
| Manchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Manchester 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest 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% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Durham and Manchester 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 |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Durham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116Highest 13% below ME |
— | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Manchester and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486 15% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | — | #14 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 05 | 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.