Compare towns
Sanford vs Lisbon vs Augusta
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%).
Lisbon has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Augusta has the shortest commute (19 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 | Lisbon | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,247Highest |
9,750Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% 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% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,524±$7k about the ME average |
$77,819±$9kHighest 4% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Lisbon and Sanford 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 |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Sanford and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
$979±$286 14% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Sanford and Lisbon 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 |
$3,324 9% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 14% above ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | #100 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sanford Public Schools | Lisbon Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Sanford High School | Lisbon High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.7 |
15.8Lowest |
17.9Highest |
| 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.