Compare towns
Waterville vs Denmark vs Oakland
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%).
Denmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Oakland has the most kids (29.1% 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 | Denmark | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Highest |
1,054Lowest |
2,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
54.4±5Highest 21% above ME |
32.6±5.5Lowest 27% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
29.1%±8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$64,167±$10kHighest 14% below ME |
$44,848±$19kLowest 40% below ME |
| Denmark 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±$21k 38% below ME |
$250,000±$68kHighest 16% below ME |
$167,000±$65kLowest 44% below ME |
| Denmark and Waterville 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 |
$1,409±$207Highest 24% above ME |
$956±$119Lowest 16% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,259 26% below ME |
$2,149Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
58.6%±24.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Oakland 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
19 min 22% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Denmark 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 | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | — | — |
| 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.