Compare towns
Bangor vs Augusta vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the highest household income ($60k).
Augusta has the most kids (18.9% under 18).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Bangor | Augusta | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
19,077 |
17,077Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kHighest 20% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kHighest 26% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Bangor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
19 minHighest 24% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Cony | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
17.9Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.