Compare towns
Windsor vs Waterville vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Jefferson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
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 | Windsor | Waterville | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690 |
17,077Highest |
2,647Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8Highest about the ME average |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
38.1±4.9 15% below ME |
| Windsor and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Jefferson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5k 15% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
| Jefferson and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400Highest 11% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Windsor and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,587 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Jefferson 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 | #44 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | Waterville Public Schools | Jefferson Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
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| 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.