The Town FilesWaterville, Maine
City in Kennebec County · population 15,828 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $184,600
- Household income
- $53,580
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 82 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 35.5
Waterville is a city of 15,828 people in Kennebec County, Maine. The median home is worth $184,600, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more vibrant than 100% of Maine towns, more walkable than 99% of Maine towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Maine towns.
How Waterville ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waterville is worth $184,600, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $53,580, which is more affordable than 51% of Maine towns. Median rent is $978 a month. 48.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterville | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $184,600 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $978 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $53,580 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 48.8% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Waterville
| People | Waterville | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.6% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 16.6% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.5% | 90.0% |
Weather in Waterville
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 8.8°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 81.8 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 21, 1997 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 13, 1983.
Severe weather in Kennebec County since 1996
Kennebec County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kennebec County
Kennebec County had 62,487 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,846 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Waterville itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Waterville
5 public schools with 1,618 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| George J Mitchell School | PK-3 | 545 | 12.4 |
| Waterville Senior High School | 9-12 | 502 | 12.0 |
| Waterville Junior High School | 6-8 | 333 | 11.9 |
| Albert S Hall School | 4-5 | 238 | 11.9 |
| Mid-Maine Technical Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Waterville
- Oakland, ME2.3 mi · 2,536 people · home $167,000
- Winslow, ME2.7 mi · 5,318 people · home $217,900
- Fairfield, ME4.2 mi · 2,616 people · home $139,600
- Oakland, ME4.2 mi · 6,230 people · home $236,000
- Winslow, ME4.4 mi · 7,948 people · home $225,300
- Fairfield, ME7.3 mi · 6,484 people · home $164,300
- Benton, ME7.7 mi · 2,715 people · home $176,700
- Vassalboro, ME8.0 mi · 4,520 people · home $244,300
Waterville questions
Is Waterville, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterville scores better for retirees than 4% of Maine towns and quieter than 0%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Waterville?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterville is valued at $184,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,580, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $978 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterville?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 8.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 81.8 inches of snow.
Does Waterville get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 21, 1997. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)