Compare towns
Waterville vs Windham vs Farmington
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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Farmington has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
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 | Windham | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077 |
19,188Highest |
8,157Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% below ME |
38.2±3.3 15% below ME |
| Windham and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Waterville 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Farmington 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
20.6%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Farmington and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$54,276±$7k 27% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$166,600±$18kLowest 44% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$902±$106Lowest 21% below ME |
| Windham 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,958Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.2%±12.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Farmington 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
55.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
20%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Farmington and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #64 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Windham High School | Mt Blue High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.