Compare towns
Orono vs Westbrook vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono | Westbrook | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902Lowest |
20,775Highest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
37.4±1Highest 17% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Westbrook and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112 10% above ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Westbrook and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
19 minHighest 24% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook 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 | #26 of 133 in ME | #115 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | Westbrook Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Orono High School | Westbrook High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.0 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.