Compare towns
Berwick vs Waterville vs Mapleton vs Trenton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Waterville has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Trenton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
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 | Berwick | Waterville | Mapleton | Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
17,077Highest |
1,884 |
1,599Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.5±7.7Highest about the ME average |
| Trenton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,455±$13k 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$357,400±$36kHighest 20% above ME |
| Trenton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,102±$241Highest 3% below ME |
| Trenton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,310 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±20.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Trenton Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Waterville Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.