Compare towns
Sidney vs Augusta vs Hollis vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Hollis has the highest household income ($96k).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Sidney | Augusta | Hollis | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790 |
19,077Highest |
4,872 |
3,351Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
43.8±4.2 about the ME average |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
| Belgrade and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$95,950±$24kHighest 28% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Hollis and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$338,900±$27kHighest 14% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 19% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,625 14% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Hollis 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | #88 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.