Compare towns
Waterboro vs Greene vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Greene has the most people working from home (11.6%).
Alfred has the most expensive homes ($342k 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 | Greene | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,055Highest |
4,417 |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.1 6% below ME |
39.7±4.9Lowest 11% below ME |
44.9±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Alfred and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Greene 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% |
15.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred and Greene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Greene 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±$16k 20% above ME |
$98,093±$16kHighest 31% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
| Greene 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±$23k about the ME average |
$270,000±$23kLowest 9% below ME |
$342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
| Alfred and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461Highest 5% above ME |
$1,194±$224 5% above ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Waterboro and Greene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772Lowest 9% below ME |
$2,965 about the ME average |
$3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.8%±20.2 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Greene 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
26 minLowest 4% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Greene and Waterboro 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 | #69 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Massabesic High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.