Compare towns
Norway vs Waterford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norway has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Waterford has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | Norway | Waterford |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,228Highest |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±4.9Lowest 10% above ME |
54.3±1.6Highest 21% above ME |
| Waterford and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Norway and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterford and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterford and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $54,342±$17kLowest 27% below ME |
$66,071±$17kHighest 12% below ME |
| Waterford and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,800±$29kLowest 27% below ME |
$273,800±$36kHighest 8% below ME |
| Waterford and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $770±$66Lowest 32% below ME |
$870±$405Highest 24% below ME |
| Waterford and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,057Highest 32% below ME |
$1,917Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.6%±34Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Norway and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 39% above ME |
34 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterford and Norway 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 | #79 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 · Oxford-Region 11 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Oxford Hills Comprehensive H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.