Compare towns
Sidney vs Mapleton vs Brooks 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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Mapleton | Brooks | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790 |
1,884 |
1,208Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Brooks 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
| Sidney and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Brooks 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.