Compare towns
Waterville vs Berwick 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 the youngest population (median age 35.5).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Augusta has the oldest population (median age 42.5).
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 | Berwick | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077 |
8,175Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
| Augusta and Berwick 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% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Waterville 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Waterville 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 17.9Highest |
| 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.