Compare towns
Waterville vs Appleton vs Winslow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Winslow has the most kids (20.7% 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 | Waterville | Appleton | Winslow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Highest |
1,360Lowest |
5,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-31.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.2±4.5 6% below ME |
| Appleton and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winslow and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$59,547±$11kHighest 20% below ME |
| Winslow and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$217,900±$12k 27% below ME |
| Appleton and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,036±$219 9% below ME |
| Appleton and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755 9% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,555Lowest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±11 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Appleton 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 | — | #57 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.