Compare towns
Waterville vs Winthrop
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).
Winthrop has the most homeowners (92.5%).
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 | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 17,077Highest |
6,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
43.6±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop 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% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,470±$4kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$294,800±$41kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Waterville and Winthrop 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 |
$3,506Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop 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% |
12.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop 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 | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.