Compare towns
Waterville vs Oakland vs Winslow
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%).
Oakland has the most kids (29.1% under 18).
Winslow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Oakland | Winslow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Highest |
2,710Lowest |
8,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
32.6±5.5Lowest 27% below ME |
47.6±3.6Highest 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.1%±8Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.3%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
14.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winslow 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$44,848±$19kLowest 40% below ME |
$70,917±$9kHighest 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
$167,000±$65kLowest 44% below ME |
$225,300±$11kHighest 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72 14% below ME |
$956±$119Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,041±$221Highest 9% below ME |
| Winslow 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 |
$2,149Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,809Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.6%±24.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.7%±9.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Winslow 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% |
13.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.8% ME: 74.3% |
76.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
19 min 22% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Winslow 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 | #57 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | — | Winslow Schools |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | — | Winslow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.