Jobs, pay and daily life in Waterville, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Waterville is a city in Maine with 17,077 residents. The median household earns $53,580 a year and the median rent is $978 a month, which is 21.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Lewiston-Auburn, ME (47,660 jobs), about 40 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Waterville compares. Among the 40 largest places in Maine, Waterville is #12 by population, #35 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #34 for household income (#1 = highest), #11 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Kennebec County, is #4 of 16 counties for average pay ($60,846).
Waterville has 17,077 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Maine. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,262 people per square mile. The median age is 35.5, 21% younger than the state median (35.5 against 44.8).
The median gross rent is $978 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($978 against $1,139). Over a year that is 21.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $184,600, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($53,580); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 48.8% of households own their home, 34% below the state average (48.8% against 74.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Lewiston-Auburn, ME, metropolitan area has 47,660 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,540 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,540 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (5,310 jobs, median $47,420); transportation and material moving (4,960 jobs, median $47,330); sales and related (4,130 jobs, median $38,460). The area is most specialised in office and administrative support (1.0 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($47,420). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Kennebec County was 3.2%. 56.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Kennebec County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 69.1% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 5.9% walk, 16.6% work from home. 6.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 52% below the state average (6.9% against 14.5%).
30.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15% below the state share (30.8% against 36.2%). 4.0% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (4.0% against 4.1%). The poverty rate is 20.6%, 92% above the state rate (20.6% against 10.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 68°F (20.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 17°F (-8.1°C). About 1,224 mm (48 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (143 mm) and Jan the driest (76 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Winslow (3 miles, rent 6% higher); Augusta (15 miles, rent 6% lower); Skowhegan (16 miles, rent 10% lower); Gardiner (25 miles, rent 14% higher). Rent differences are against Waterville; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Maine (185) →State guide: MaineCountry guideKennebec CountyMaine rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 185 federal postings open in Maine (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,870 | 1.42 | $38,240 | $35,130 | $45,180 | +7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,490 | 1.26 | $34,720 | $30,780 | $41,090 | +11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,430 | 1.20 | $36,540 | $31,300 | $52,810 | +3% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,280 | 1.23 | $85,870 | $73,930 | $105,440 | -12% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,210 | 1.40 | $40,680 | $32,630 | $59,790 | +9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,080 | 1.71 | $57,900 | $44,600 | $70,620 | -1% |
| Cashiers | 1,020 | 1.08 | $35,280 | $31,290 | $37,600 | +7% |
| General and Operations Managers | 950 | 0.89 | $96,730 | $52,920 | $174,770 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 950 | 1.26 | $42,840 | $34,060 | $60,080 | -5% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 820 | 1.88 | $47,120 | $37,870 | $57,180 | +28% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 760 | 1.12 | $38,240 | $32,240 | $47,360 | +4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 690 | 1.55 | $48,570 | $41,480 | $60,230 | +15% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 670 | 1.58 | $59,110 | $43,830 | $79,470 | -8% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 610 | 0.67 | $43,780 | $34,980 | $52,200 | +9% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 540 | 1.28 | $50,230 | $40,480 | $70,810 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 480 | 0.60 | $45,790 | $36,000 | $60,660 | +2% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 460 | 0.88 | $48,880 | $39,580 | $61,610 | +3% |
| Childcare Workers | 460 | 2.89 | $34,570 | $31,560 | $46,020 | -1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 460 | 1.35 | $51,440 | $39,850 | $78,420 | +6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 450 | 0.65 | $43,130 | $30,470 | $80,540 | +22% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 950 | 0.89 | $96,730 | $52,920 | $174,770 | -9% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,280 | 1.23 | $85,870 | $73,930 | $105,440 | -12% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 670 | 1.58 | $59,110 | $43,830 | $79,470 | -8% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,080 | 1.71 | $57,900 | $44,600 | $70,620 | -1% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 540 | 1.28 | $50,230 | $40,480 | $70,810 | -1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 690 | 1.55 | $48,570 | $41,480 | $60,230 | +15% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 820 | 1.88 | $47,120 | $37,870 | $57,180 | +28% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 610 | 0.67 | $43,780 | $34,980 | $52,200 | +9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 950 | 1.26 | $42,840 | $34,060 | $60,080 | -5% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,210 | 1.40 | $40,680 | $32,630 | $59,790 | +9% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,870 | 1.42 | $38,240 | $35,130 | $45,180 | +7% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 760 | 1.12 | $38,240 | $32,240 | $47,360 | +4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,430 | 1.20 | $36,540 | $31,300 | $52,810 | +3% |
| Cashiers | 1,020 | 1.08 | $35,280 | $31,290 | $37,600 | +7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,490 | 1.26 | $34,720 | $30,780 | $41,090 | +11% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, about 40 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,540 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 39.2% |
| Retail trade | 14.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.1% |
| Construction | 5.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.9% |
| Manufacturing | 4.4% |
| Information | 3.9% |
| Other services | 3.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.5% |
| Public administration | 1.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Waterville lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennebec County | 126,808 | $8,569 million | $67,576 | 62,487 | 4,431 | $60,846 | +1.1% | 3.2% | 61,561 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 10,536 | 23.2% | $63,189 | 1.18 |
| Retail trade | 8,548 | 18.8% | $40,897 | 1.37 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,740 | 10.4% | $27,997 | 0.83 |
| Manufacturing | 2,935 | 6.5% | $64,433 | 0.57 |
| Construction | 2,851 | 6.3% | $74,231 | 0.87 |
| Educational services | 2,251 | 5.0% | $61,720 | 1.74 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,115 | 4.7% | $49,353 | 1.12 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,970 | 4.3% | $74,985 | 0.80 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,945 | 4.3% | $86,423 | 0.45 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,470 | 3.2% | $46,867 | 0.40 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,371 | 3.0% | $59,360 | 0.52 |
| Management of companies | 1,355 | 3.0% | $86,296 | 1.29 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,179 | 2.6% | $79,024 | 0.46 |
| Information | 1,015 | 2.2% | $67,562 | 0.87 |
| Real estate and rental | 581 | 1.3% | $55,384 | 0.60 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 448 | 1.0% | $29,034 | 0.43 |
| Utilities | 159 | 0.3% | $128,185 | 0.67 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.1% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 5.9% |
| Work from home | 16.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,580 |
| Income per person | $32,905 |
| Median gross rent per month | $978 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.9% |
| Median home value | $184,600 |
| Homeowners | 48.8% |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 94.7 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $49,540 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 7.15%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 30.8% |
| Born abroad | 4.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 56.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -8.1 | 17 | 76 |
| Feb | -7.0 | 19 | 78 |
| Mar | -1.8 | 29 | 86 |
| Apr | 5.1 | 41 | 106 |
| May | 11.5 | 53 | 97 |
| Jun | 16.5 | 62 | 123 |
| Jul | 20.1 | 68 | 90 |
| Aug | 19.9 | 68 | 96 |
| Sep | 16.0 | 61 | 95 |
| Oct | 9.2 | 49 | 143 |
| Nov | 2.5 | 36 | 116 |
| Dec | -3.9 | 25 | 118 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winslow | ME | 3 mi | 5,873 | $59,547 | $1,036 |
| Augusta | ME | 15 mi | 19,077 | $47,979 | $919 |
| Skowhegan | ME | 16 mi | 6,662 | $45,388 | $880 |
| Gardiner | ME | 25 mi | 6,088 | $71,782 | $1,113 |
| Farmington | ME | 25 mi | 4,705 | $41,033 | $871 |
| Belfast | ME | 32 mi | 6,986 | $67,679 | $962 |
| Rockland | ME | 39 mi | 7,035 | $56,533 | $1,092 |
| Lewiston | ME | 40 mi | 38,324 | $55,393 | $986 |
| Lisbon Falls | ME | 42 mi | 4,267 | $72,344 | $971 |
| Hampden | ME | 43 mi | 5,161 | $112,228 | $1,133 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
17,077 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$978 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.9% of the median household income.
$53,580 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Kennebec County (latest month 2026M09)).
Maine. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.