Compare towns
North Windham vs Waterville vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | North Windham | Waterville | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,417Lowest |
17,077Highest |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3Highest 6% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
| North Windham and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| North Windham and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29k 16% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
| New Gloucester and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
| North Windham and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546Highest 17% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham 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 | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | — | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| 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.