Compare towns
Waterboro vs Chapman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterboro has the most people working from home (10%).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k 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 | Waterboro | Chapman |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,055Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 42±3.1Lowest 6% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
| Chapman and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $89,392±$16kLowest 20% above ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $297,000±$23kHighest about the ME average |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461 5% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772Highest 9% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterboro and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterboro and Chapman 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 | #80 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | — |
| High school in town | Massabesic High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.