Compare towns
Wayne vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Wayne | Waterville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waterville and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Wayne and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 24% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 |
| School district | RSU 38 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
| 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.