What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).

Readfield has the most homeowners (89.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Waterville	Readfield
People
Population	17,077Highest	2,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6%	0%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME	48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME
Kids under 18	14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Readfield and Waterville 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%	22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Readfield 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%	48.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME	$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME	$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME	$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average
	Readfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,755Lowest 9% below ME	$3,392Highest 12% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4%	31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Waterville and Readfield 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%	5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	30 minHighest 20% above ME
Work from home	16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Readfield 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	#20 of 133 in ME
School district	Waterville Public Schools	RSU 38
High school in town	Waterville Senior High School	Maranacook Community High Sch
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.5Lowest
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.