Compare towns
Bangor vs Williston vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
10,144Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Williston 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 34% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$978±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the U.S. average |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$2,755Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 25% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 |
U.S. 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.