Compare towns
Sidney vs Barre vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Barre | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
8,412 |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Augusta and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Augusta and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 21% below U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$2,465Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Augusta and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.