What stands out worked out from the figures below

Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).

Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Standish	Waterville
People
Population	10,662Lowest	17,077Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.7%Highest ME: +2.6%	+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.5±2.8Highest 10% below ME	35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME
	Standish and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.1Highest ME: 18.1%	14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Standish and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4%	18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Waterville 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%	30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME	$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME	$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$983±$453Highest 14% below ME	$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME
	Standish and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,005Highest about the ME average	$2,755Lowest 9% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4%	50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Standish and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	20.6%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME	1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 20% above ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9%
	Waterville 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	#105 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 06/MSAD 06	Waterville Public Schools
High school in town	Bonny Eagle High School	Waterville Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.