Compare towns
Standish vs New Gloucester vs Waterboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
New Gloucester has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Waterboro has the most affordable homes ($297k median).
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 | Standish | New Gloucester | Waterboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
5,766Lowest |
8,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
42±3.1Highest 6% below ME |
| Waterboro and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| New Gloucester and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$89,392±$16kLowest 20% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$297,000±$23kLowest about the ME average |
| New Gloucester and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$1,200±$461Highest 5% above ME |
| Waterboro and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 about the ME average |
$3,417Highest 13% above ME |
$2,772Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| New Gloucester and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | #80 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | Massabesic High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.