Compare towns
Bangor vs Bath vs Mapleton 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
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 | Bath | Mapleton | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
8,815 |
1,884Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Bath and Mapleton 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% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath 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% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Bangor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Waterville 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Morse High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
14.8Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.