What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newfields has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).

Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Newfields	Waterville
People
Population	2,023Lowest	17,077Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S.	35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.	$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.	$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S.	$978±$72Lowest 31% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$2,755Lowest 12% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.5%±8.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Waterville and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.	1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.6%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Newfields 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	—	#105 of 133 in ME
School district	Newfields School District	Waterville Public Schools
High school 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

U.S. 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.