Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Augusta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
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 | Starks | Mapleton | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,884 |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Starks and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$201,000±$18kHighest 32% below ME |
| Augusta and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
| Starks and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,465Highest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Mapleton 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 | — | — | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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 History | 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.