Compare towns
Windsor vs Augusta vs Benton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Benton has the most affordable homes ($177k 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 | Windsor | Augusta | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690Lowest |
19,077Highest |
2,770 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8Highest about the ME average |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
42.8±6 4% below ME |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Benton 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% |
28.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5kHighest 15% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22kHighest 23% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
| Windsor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400Highest 11% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160 29% below ME |
$2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
20 min 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Benton 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 | #44 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | #85 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | None in town |
| 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.