Compare towns
Waterville vs Westbrook 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 the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Bangor has the oldest population (median age 41).
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 | Westbrook | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Lowest |
20,775 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
37.4±1 17% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor 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% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
19 minHighest 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Westbrook High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.0Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.