Compare towns
Bangor vs Windsor 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).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Windsor | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
2,690Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
43.5±8Highest about the ME average |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Windsor 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% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±4.4Lowest 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% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$63,178±$5kHighest 15% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Windsor 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±$10k 26% below ME |
$228,800±$22kHighest 23% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Windsor and Bangor 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 |
$1,265±$400Highest 11% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Windsor and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,160Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6Lowest 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% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±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 | #44 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.