Compare towns
Sidney vs Beals vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
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 | Beals | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
498Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
48±15.6Highest 7% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
| Beals and Sidney 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% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Augusta 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 12% above ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Sidney and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 19% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 17% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Beals Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Cony |
| 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.