Compare towns
Lisbon vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Waterville has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Lisbon | Waterville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,750Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Highest 14% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Lisbon and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9kHighest 4% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kHighest 13% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Highest 14% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Lisbon and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Highest 9% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.