Compare towns
Lewiston vs Stetson 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
Stetson has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Stetson | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,151Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
42.2±5.1Highest 6% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Stetson and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6% ME: 36.2% |
19.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$76,023±$28kHighest about the ME average |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Stetson and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8kHighest 21% below ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Lewiston and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
$800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Lewiston and Waterville 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 |
$1,962Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Lewiston 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | — | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | — | 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.