Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Augusta vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Belgrade has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Mount Vernon | Augusta | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,716Lowest |
19,077Highest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6k about the ME average |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168 22% below ME |
$919±$79Highest 19% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Augusta and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.