Compare towns
Waterville vs Smithfield vs Augusta
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%).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Augusta has the most kids (18.9% under 18).
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 | Smithfield | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077 |
856Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Augusta 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | — | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | — | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | — | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 17.9Highest |
| 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.