Compare towns
Union vs Waterville vs Pittston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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.
| Measure | Union | Waterville | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663Lowest |
17,077Highest |
3,093 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Highest 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
| Union and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
| Pittston and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Union and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Union and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Union 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.