Compare towns
Somerville vs Waldo vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% 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 | Somerville | Waldo | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
926 |
1,397Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
37.8±4Highest 16% below ME |
| Chesterville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chesterville and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chesterville and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Waldo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Somerville and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.