Compare towns
Cushing vs Waterville vs Owls Head
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Cushing | Waterville | Owls Head |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
17,077Highest |
1,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$87,325±$7kHighest 17% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,191±$386 5% above ME |
| Cushing and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$2,981 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 13 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.