Compare towns
Waterville vs Bangor vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Bangor has the highest household income ($60k).
Augusta has the most kids (18.9% 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 | Bangor | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Lowest |
31,938Highest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
| Augusta and Bangor 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% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Bangor 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% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Bangor 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% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$59,942±$7kHighest 20% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Bangor and Waterville 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 |
$219,600±$10kHighest 26% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| Bangor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Bangor and Waterville 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 |
$3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville 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% |
17.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
19 minHighest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Augusta 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Bangor High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.3 |
17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.