Compare towns
Berwick vs Oakland vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Oakland | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175 |
6,309Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Highest 9% below ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Berwick and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Berwick and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Berwick and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 18 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Messalonskee High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.