Compare towns
Sidney vs New Gloucester vs Hollis 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 the most homeowners (89.4%).
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Hollis has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
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 | New Gloucester | Hollis | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
5,766 |
4,872 |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
43.8±4.2Highest about the ME average |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Sidney 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Hollis 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±$10k 12% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$95,950±$24k 28% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| New Gloucester and Hollis 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 |
$357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$338,900±$27k 14% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| New Gloucester and Hollis 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 |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% 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 |
$3,417Highest 13% above ME |
$2,625 14% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest 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% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Hollis 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #88 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | 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 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.