Compare towns
Manchester vs Wayne 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 most kids (19% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424 |
1,101Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
| Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Manchester 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Manchester and Wayne 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 38 | 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.