Compare towns
Sidney vs North Windham 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%).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | North Windham | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
5,417 |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
42±3Lowest 6% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±4.1Lowest 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
37%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| North Windham 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 |
$88,522±$8kHighest 18% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| North Windham 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±$34k 13% above ME |
$342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| North Windham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,248±$604 10% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Sidney and North Windham 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 |
$3,546Highest 17% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and North Windham 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% |
6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham 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 | — | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school 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 |
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.