Compare towns
Sidney vs Standish vs Wayne 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%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Standish | Wayne | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790 |
10,662 |
1,101Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Standish and Wayne 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 |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Sidney and Standish 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 |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% 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 |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 38 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
— | 17.9Highest |
| 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.