What stands out worked out from the figures below

Standish has the highest household income ($105k).

Auburn has the most renters (40.9% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Standish	Auburn
People
Population	10,662Lowest	24,602Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME	41.4±2.7Highest 8% below ME
	Auburn and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1%	21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1%
	Auburn and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4%	19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36%Highest ME: 36.2%	27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8%	5.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME	$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME	$282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME	$1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME
	Auburn and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,005Lowest about the ME average	$3,687Highest 21% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4%	53.4%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Standish and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	13.8%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 20% above ME	22 minLowest 12% below ME
Work from home	13.6%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%	11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Standish and Auburn 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	#18 of 133 in ME	#110 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 06/MSAD 06	Auburn Public Schools
High school in town	Bonny Eagle High School	Edward Little High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.