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CITY · 2020 ACS

Waterville

Maine · 15,828 residents · 13.5 sq mi
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The short version

With 15,828 people, Waterville is a city in Maine. Owners hold 45% of the housing stock. 24.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That trails the Maine median by roughly 33%. People stay put here: 74% were in the same home a year ago. The typical home is worth $124,200, having risen by half since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 38.0
US median: 38.8
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

15,828
+1%since 2000
from 15,605 in 2000
1990 – 2025
38.0
+7%since 2000
from 35.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
13.5 sq mi
Population, 19902024
15K16K16K17K17K19902000201020202024Waterville
202417K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.5%(720)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.5%(711)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.1%(802)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.7%(1,221)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2412.6%(1,994)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.1%(1,915)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4410.5%(1,665)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.2%(1,609)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.5%(1,986)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.9%(1,726)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.9%(936)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over3.4%(543)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$39,722
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,816 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$27,165
+65%since 2000
from $16,430 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
23.4%
+6.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
24.6%
+5.4 ptssince 2000
from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information18.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade5.2%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade4.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services2.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Arts, entertainment, food2.2%
US avg: 2%
Finance & insurance1.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration1.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical1.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing0.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$124,200
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$759
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $407 in 2000
US average: $1,124
44.8%
−4.3 ptssince 2000
from 49.1% in 2000
55.2% rent
2.04 people
−6%since 2009
from 2.17 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.1
−6%since 2009
from 3.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.2%(14,857)
Black0.8%(119)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(171)
Asian1%(161)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic85.9%(13,604)
Black1.6%(257)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(603)
Asian2.1%(325)
Other2.1%(334)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.7%(122)
Puerto Rican0.7%(114)
Panamanian0.6%(93)
Cuban0.4%(65)
Dominican0.3%(45)
Ecuadorian0.2%(38)
Spaniard0.1%(20)
Colombian0.1%(10)
Asian origin
Chinese2.6%(429)
Filipino0.3%(52)
Korean0.2%(28)
Vietnamese0.1%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.2%(41)
Samoan0.1%(11)
Ancestry
French16.5%(2,749)
Irish15.5%(2,582)
English14.1%(2,346)
French Canadian10.4%(1,736)
German9.4%(1,558)
Italian4.6%(767)
American3.9%(640)
Scottish3.7%(615)
Polish2.9%(486)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(235)
Hungarian1.3%(214)
Dutch1.3%(209)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Canadian1.2%(204)
Russian1%(161)
Swedish0.9%(156)
Lithuanian0.7%(119)
Swiss0.7%(110)
Lebanese0.6%(98)
Norwegian0.6%(95)
Austrian0.4%(68)
Welsh0.4%(61)
West Indian0.3%(56)
British0.3%(54)
Czech0.3%(52)
Ukrainian0.3%(50)
Portuguese0.3%(43)
Turkish0.3%(42)
Egyptian0.2%(29)
Armenian0.2%(27)
Finnish0.2%(25)
Somali0.1%(14)
Barbadian0.1%(13)
Haitian0%(8)
Greek0%(5)
Section 05

Education

30.8%
+9.8 ptssince 2000
from 21.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.0%
+9.3 ptssince 2000
from 82.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
13.1%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 8.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

16.9 min
+22%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
69.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 68.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
17.2%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

3.7%
−8.5 ptssince 2011
from 12.2% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
54.3%
−5.0 ptssince 2011
from 59.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.9%
US average: 73.3%
47.5%
+12.8 ptssince 2009
from 34.6% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

46.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
53.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
5.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
8.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2013
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
85.8%
US average: 91.9%
74.0%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married51.8%(3,747)
Married31.5%(2,279)
Widowed2.3%(163)
Divorced14.5%(1,047)
Women 15+
Never married44.4%(3,436)
Married29.1%(2,253)
Widowed9.6%(740)
Divorced16.9%(1,304)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

8.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2013
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
51.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
18.5%
US average: 13.7%
21.4%
US average: 17.6%
26.2%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
66.4%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
41.2%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)6.9%(64)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)29.5%(274)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era28.3%(263)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War12.2%(113)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II8.1%(75)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 929 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Waterville, Maine?

Waterville, Maine has about 15,828 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Waterville, Maine?

The typical household in Waterville, Maine earns about $39,722 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Waterville, Maine expensive?

In Waterville, Maine, the median home is worth about $124,200, and the typical rent is about $759 a month.

How educated are people in Waterville, Maine?

About 30.8% of adults age 25 and over in Waterville, Maine hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Waterville, Maine?

About 24.6% of people in Waterville, Maine live below the federal poverty line.

Has Waterville, Maine grown since 1990?

Yes, Waterville, Maine has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,268 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →