Compare towns
Liberty vs Mapleton vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Liberty has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Liberty | Mapleton | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 969Lowest |
1,884 |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Liberty and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31kHighest 23% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Liberty and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434 20% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest 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 | 14.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Liberty 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| 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.