Compare towns
Bangor vs Somerville 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 oldest population (median age 41).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Somerville | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
837Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville 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% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Somerville and Bangor 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 |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Bangor and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville 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% |
17%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest 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 | RSU 12 | 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.