Compare towns
Bangor vs Ellsworth 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).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Ellsworth | Mapleton | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
8,657 |
1,884Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Ellsworth 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% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
39.3%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% |
5.3%±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 |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth 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 |
$242,300±$22kHighest 18% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Bangor 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 |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Bangor and Ellsworth 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 |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Bangor 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% |
9.3% 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% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.