Compare towns
Standish vs Mapleton vs Augusta vs Waterboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Waterboro has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
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 | Standish | Mapleton | Augusta | Waterboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662 |
1,884Lowest |
19,077Highest |
8,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
42±3.1 6% below ME |
| Augusta and Waterboro 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waterboro and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
| Standish and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$297,000±$23k about the ME average |
| Standish and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,200±$461Highest 5% above ME |
| Waterboro and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Highest about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
$2,772 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Standish 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 | — | #119 of 133 in ME | #80 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | Cony | Massabesic High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 17.9Highest |
13.5 |
| 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.