Compare towns
Waterville vs Gorham vs Bangor
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 affordable homes ($185k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Gorham | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Lowest |
18,300 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Bangor and Gorham 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Bangor 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Gorham High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
12.9 |
13.3Highest |
| 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.