Compare towns
Manchester vs Mapleton vs Readfield 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).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Mapleton | Readfield | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,424 |
1,884Lowest |
2,651 |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Readfield and Manchester 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Manchester and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486Highest 15% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Readfield 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5Lowest |
17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.