Compare towns
Waterville vs Holden
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 renters (51.2% rent).
Holden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Holden |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 17,077Highest |
3,352Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
45±4.6Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.5%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Holden and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.1%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville and Holden 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% |
44.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$92,200±$35kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$289,400±$70kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72 14% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,221Highest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.8%±30.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Holden 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Holden 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 | #61 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 63/MSAD 63 |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.