Waterville, ME

Census Place

2024 Population

17,077

US Senator

Susan Collins

Republican Party

US Senator

Angus King

Independent Party

2024 Median Age

35.5

2.9% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

20.6%

18.7% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$53,580

12.8% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

Population & Diversity

Waterville, ME is home to a population of 17.1k people, from which 97.2% are citizens.

As of 2024, 3.95% of Waterville, ME residents were born outside of the country (675 people).

In 2024, there were 24.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (14.9k people) in Waterville, ME than any other race or ethnicity. There were 614 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 347 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2024 Citizenship

97.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.2% of Waterville, ME residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Waterville, ME was 97.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Waterville, ME compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Waterville, ME

White (Non-Hispanic)
14.9k ± 360
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
614 ± 258
Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
347 ± 259

2.97%

Hispanic Population

507 people

2.97% of the people in Waterville, ME are hispanic (507 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Waterville, ME as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Maine.

Most Common Origin

Canada
10,285 ± 2,481 people
China
2,950 ± 1,332 people
Other Africa, not specified
2,714 ± 1,278 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Maine was Canada, the natal country of 10,285 Maine residents, followed by China with 2,950 and Other Africa, not specified with 2,714.

Foreign-Born Population

3.95%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

675 people

4.01%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

670 people

As of 2024, 3.95% of Waterville, ME residents (675 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Waterville, ME was 4.01%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Waterville, ME compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
278 ± 162
Gulf War (1990s)
180 ± 101
Gulf War (2001-)
158 ± 98

Waterville, ME has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.54 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Waterville, ME.

Economy

The economy of Waterville, ME employs 7.89k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Waterville, ME were Educational Services (1,837 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,253 people), and Retail Trade (1,162 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($151,731), Finance & Insurance ($78,470), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($68,293).

Employment

Occupations

7.89k

2024 Value

± 839

4.74%

1 Year growth

± 14.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Waterville, ME grew at a rate of 4.74%, from 7.53k employees to 7.89k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Waterville, ME, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,221 people), Sales & Related Occupations (820 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (731 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Waterville, ME.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Maine (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

7.89k

2024 Value

± 839

4.74%

1 Year growth

± 14.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Waterville, ME grew at a rate of 4.74%, from 7.53k employees to 7.89k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Waterville, ME, are Educational Services (1,837 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,253 people), and Retail Trade (1,162 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Waterville, ME, though some of these residents may live in Waterville, ME and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,153

Median earning men ± $6,424

$38,548

Median earning women ± $5,588

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($70,833), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($69,833), and Manufacturing ($66,528).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($79,216), Public Administration ($60,521), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($47,407).

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maine went to Kamala Harris with 52.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.5%), followed by Jill Stein (1.08%).

Susan Collins and Angus King are the senators currently representing the state of Maine. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Maine is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Waterville, ME. Showing the available data for Maine.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (52.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (45.5%)
Republican Party
Jill Stein (1.08%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maine went to Kamala Harris with 52.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.5%), followed by Jill Stein (1.08%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Maine for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Maine

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.

Susan Collins

Senator from Maine

Assumed office on January 3, 1997

Angus King

Senator from Maine

Assumed office on January 3, 2013
Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont join meetings of the Senate Democratic Caucus.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2012/11/14/165149633/maine-independent-angus-king-to-caucus-with-senate-democrats |title=Maine Independent Angus King to Caucus with Senate Democrats |publisher=National Public Radio |first=Padmananda |last=Rama |date=November 14, 2012 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |quote=Angus King of Maine, who cruised to victory last week running as an independent, said Wednesday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats... The Senate's other independent, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, also caucuses with the Democrats.}}

Susan Collins and Angus King are the senators currently representing Maine.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Maine over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

The student population of Waterville, ME in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,922 male students and 2,125 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Waterville, ME are White (608 and 70%), Asian (81 and 9.33%), Two or More Races (51 and 5.88%), and Hispanic or Latino (47 and 5.41%).

The largest universities in Waterville, ME by number of degrees awarded are Colby College (707 and 75.1%) and Thomas College (235 and 24.9%).

The most popular majors in Waterville, ME are Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (107 and 11.4%), General Business Administration & Management (57 and 6.05%), and General Psychology (55 and 5.84%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $48,689.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Waterville, ME, the percentage of applicants admitted was 11.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 4,047 (47.5% men and 52.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 4,047 students enrolled in Waterville, ME, 47.5% men and 52.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,588 records, of which 54% were women and 46% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
107 degrees awarded
General Psychology
55 degrees awarded
General Political Science & Government
49 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Waterville, ME was Econometrics & Quantitative Economics with 107 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Waterville, ME according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Colby College
707 degrees awarded
Thomas College
235 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Colby College with 707 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 462 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Waterville, ME, which is 0.963 times less than the 480 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 608 degrees mean that there were 7.51 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 81 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($48,689) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,023) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($825) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Waterville, ME was $184,600 in 2024, which is 0.555 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $173,700 to $184,600, a 6.28% increase. The homeownership rate in Waterville, ME is 48.8%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Waterville, ME have an average commute time of 18 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Waterville, ME is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$184,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$20,944

$3,318

Median Property Taxes

±$433

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Waterville, ME the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Waterville, ME compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

48.8%

Homeownership

2024

62%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 48.8% of the housing units in Waterville, ME were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 45.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Waterville, ME compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$53,580

Median Household Income

± $3,811

6.8k

Number of Households

± 746

In 2024, the median household income of the 6.8k households in Waterville, ME grew to $53,580 from the previous year's value of $47,489.

The following chart displays the households in Waterville, ME distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $50k - $60k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Waterville, ME is from Maine.

0.439

2024 Wage GINI in Maine

0.439

2023 Wage GINI in Maine

In 2024, the income inequality in Maine was 0.439 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.15% growth from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Maine was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Maine in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Maine across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (69.1%)
Worked At Home (16.6%)
Walked (5.9%)

In 2024, 69.1% of workers in Waterville, ME drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16.6%) and those who walked to work (5.9%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Waterville, ME have a shorter commute time (18 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.45% of the workforce in Waterville, ME have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Waterville, ME compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Waterville, ME distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Waterville, ME have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

20.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Waterville, ME (2.94k out of 14.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Waterville, ME is White, followed by Two Or More and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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