Compare towns
Bangor vs Dedham 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).
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Dedham | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,656Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Dedham 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Dedham and Bangor 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Bangor 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Dedham Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 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.