Compare towns
Waterville vs Mapleton vs Cushing 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
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 | Mapleton | Cushing | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,077 |
1,884 |
1,460Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Cushing and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Cushing 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Cushing 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 13 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | — | 13.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.