Compare towns
Lewiston vs Waterville vs Augusta
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%).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Augusta has the oldest population (median age 42.5).
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 | Waterville | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
17,077Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Augusta 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta 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% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4kHighest 26% below ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Lewiston and Waterville 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% 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 |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 15% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Augusta 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 | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | Waterville Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | Waterville Senior High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
12.8Lowest |
17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.