Compare towns
Standish vs Reading vs Waterboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Waterboro has the most kids (22.5% 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 | Standish | Reading | Waterboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
699Lowest |
8,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
42±3.1 8% above U.S. |
| Reading and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterboro and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$89,392±$16k 11% above U.S. |
| Standish and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$297,000±$23kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Reading and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,200±$461Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Waterboro and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 4% below U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$2,772Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.2%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | — | #80 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.