Compare towns
Lewiston vs Lyman vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lewiston has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Lyman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
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 | Lewiston | Lyman | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
4,612Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$87,284±$14kHighest 17% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$360,400±$44kHighest 22% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44 13% below ME |
$1,063±$522Highest 7% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Lyman and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,899Highest 5% below ME |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 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.