Compare towns

Sidney vs Waterford

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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.

MeasureSidneyWaterford
People
Population
4,790Highest
1,295Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+1.1%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
43±5.5Lowest
4% below ME
54.3±1.6Highest
21% above ME
Kids under 18
23.1%±5.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
12.9%±3.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
18.4%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
27.7%±1.7Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
33.5%Highest
ME: 36.2%
30.5%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.5%±1.2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
4.7%±3.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
Waterford and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$83,488±$10kHighest
12% above ME
$66,071±$17kLowest
12% below ME
Sidney and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$336,200±$34kHighest
13% above ME
$273,800±$36kLowest
8% below ME
Sidney and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,340±$304Highest
18% above ME
$870±$405Lowest
24% below ME
Sidney and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,474Highest
19% below ME
$1,917Lowest
37% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
16.4%±17.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
36.6%±34Highest
ME: 48.4%
Waterford and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
16.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
89.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
88.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1996Highest
19 yrs newer than ME
1982Lowest
5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
about the ME average
34 minHighest
40% above ME
Work from home
14.3%±5.9Lowest
ME: 15.9%
18.8%±7.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
Waterford and Sidney 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 #15 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 18 RSU 17/MSAD 17
High school in town None in town None in town
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.