Compare towns
Bangor vs Hope 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).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Bangor | Hope | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,748Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Hope 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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope 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% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope 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% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Hope 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 |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
20 minHighest 19% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Hope 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 History | 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.