Compare towns
Jackson vs Waterville vs Liberty
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Waterville has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Liberty has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
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 | Jackson | Waterville | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
17,077Highest |
969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
40.5±6.8Highest 10% below ME |
| Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Liberty and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Jackson and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
| Jackson and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12 45% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 41% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Jackson 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 | — | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school 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.