Compare towns
Farmington vs Mapleton vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Farmington has the most people working from home (20%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Farmington | Mapleton | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,157 |
1,884Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.2±3.3 15% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Farmington and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.6%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Farmington and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,276±$7k 27% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,600±$18kLowest 44% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
| Mapleton and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $902±$106 21% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
| Waterville and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,958 36% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±12.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 20%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Farmington 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 | #64 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 09 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Blue High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 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.