Compare towns
Palermo vs Augusta vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the highest household income ($89k).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Palermo | Augusta | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473Lowest |
19,077Highest |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washington and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
| Palermo and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$195,200±$36kLowest 34% below ME |
| Palermo and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
| Palermo and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506Highest 17% below ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo 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 12 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.