Compare towns
Lewiston vs Waterville vs Sabattus
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).
Waterville has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Sabattus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Sabattus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
17,077 |
5,116Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
51.2±4.6Highest 14% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sabattus 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% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,387±$6kHighest 21% below ME |
| Sabattus 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 |
$184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
$180,000±$39kLowest 39% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$949±$23Lowest 17% 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 |
$2,151Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
38.7%±51Lowest 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% |
8.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.5%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sabattus 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | #129 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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| 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.