Compare towns
Sanford vs Augusta vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Sanford | Augusta | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,247Highest |
19,077 |
9,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Augusta and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,524±$7kHighest about the ME average |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
| Sanford and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,200±$10kHighest 6% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Sanford and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,708Highest 22% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±7.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 14% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Sanford 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 | #100 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sanford Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Sanford High School | Cony | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.7 |
17.9Highest |
14.0Lowest |
| 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.