Waterville, ME Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Waterville, ME Summary

Cost of living in Waterville research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Waterville is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Maine, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Waterville is 97, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Waterville is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Waterville ranks as the #5 cheapest in Maine out of 30.

  • Waterville ranks as the #2,245 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Waterville is $247,812.

  • The median income in Waterville is $47,489.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
97
Waterville's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Waterville, ME?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Waterville has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maine, Waterville has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Maine's index of 101.

The standard of living in Waterville ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in Maine. By definition, that implies Waterville ranks as the #25 most expensive place in the Pine Tree State.

For more reading on life in Waterville, check out:

5 out of 30
In Maine
2,245 out of 6,489
In America

Waterville Cost Of Living Vs. Maine

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Waterville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Waterville is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Waterville is 102.

  • The Health index in Waterville is 105.

  • The Housing index in Waterville is 72.

  • The Transportation index in Waterville is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Waterville is 109.

Living Expense Waterville Maine National Average
Overall 97 101 100
Services 107 110 100
Groceries 102 103 100
Health 105 104 100
Housing 72 90 100
Transportation 107 108 100
Utilities 109 105 100
For more reading on cost of living around Maine, check out:
Waterville Cost of Living Vs. ME

Waterville, ME Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maine, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Waterville is $247,812.

  • The Median Rent in Waterville is $957.

  • The Median Income in Waterville is $47,489.

  • The Home Value To Income in Waterville is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Waterville is 0.24x.

Statistic Waterville Maine United States
Median Home Value $247,812 $410,916 $303,400
Median Rent $957 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $47,489 $71,773 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.2x 5.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.18x 0.21x
$247,812
Median Home Value
$957
Median Rent
$47,489
Median Income

Waterville, ME Costs By Category

Detailed Waterville Services Costs Vs. Maine

Item Waterville Maine
Shampoo $1.17 $1.28
Movie $13.07 $12.13
Bowling $17.76 $18
Haircut $28.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.03 $45.56

Detailed Waterville Groceries Costs Vs. Maine

Item Waterville Maine
Ground Beef $5.41 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.43 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $5.0 $4.93
Pizza $11.93 $12.09
Beer $10.22 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.69 $3.7

Detailed Waterville Health Costs Vs. Maine

Item Waterville Maine
Optometrist $170.67 $125.68
Doctor $146.5 $135.78
Dentist $119.58 $113.29

Detailed Waterville Transportation Costs Vs. Maine

Item Waterville Maine
Gasoline $3.52 $3.46
Tire Balancing $76.01 $59.92

Detailed Waterville Utilities Costs Vs. Maine

Item Waterville Maine
All Electricity $218.65 $193.99
Phone $185.73 $192.25

Waterville SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
5
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Waterville

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Waterville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Bangor, ME has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Waterville.

  • Auburn, ME has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Waterville.

  • Augusta, ME has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Waterville.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Waterville
Bangor, ME 31,663 102 1.1x
Auburn, ME 24,294 104 1.1x
Augusta, ME 18,999 99 1.0x
Brunswick, ME 16,928 114 1.2x
Brewer, ME 9,654 100 1.0x
Bath, ME 8,801 105 1.1x
Rockland, ME 6,991 100 1.0x
Belfast, ME 6,985 105 1.1x
Topsham, ME 6,962 111 1.1x
Skowhegan, ME 6,638 94 1.0x

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