Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0Waterville spent less per resident in 2022 than 93% of similar cities
Waterville’s city government spent $61.2 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $3,868 per resident. The airport ($822,000) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Waterville is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$2,874 per resident in 2022: less than 93% of them
Waterville’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,874 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 30 U.S. cities of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools: the median was $4,014, and the middle half spent $3,473–$4,785. Waterville spent less than 93% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
U.S. cities of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Waterville itself left out).
About $3,868 per resident a year, or $10.60 a day
Schools are part of the city’s budget, so they lead the receipt: 63% of day-to-day spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Waterville runs its own schools, so school spending is part of this budget. Comparisons are with U.S. cities of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools.
Day-to-day spending is up 28% since 2022
Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Waterville reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.
Day-to-day spending by fiscal year
Per resident: 2022: $2,874 · 2023: $3,455 · 2024: $3,868. Per resident it went from $2,874 to $3,868 (up 35%), partly because the Census population behind it changed from 16,579 to 15,828.
full-time in March 2025, up from 486 in 2022.
Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.
The typical homeowner pays $2,755 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.49% of the home’s value, vs 1.02% across Maine.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Waterville’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Waterville’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Waterville →
Who’s in charge in Waterville
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Waterville’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on waterville-me.gov ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 29 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (15,828).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Waterville
Waterville’s K–12 school district. The schools are run by Waterville, so this money is part of the budget above.
Of the $23,099 per pupil, $12,620 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Maine districts overall: 52% local, 40% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Waterville voted in 2024
Official results for Waterville’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat61.8%4,566 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican35.7%2,636 votesOthers: 2.6% (191 votes).
Most votes in Waterville: Kamala D Harris
Maine: Harris 52.4%, Trump 45.5%
of Waterville’s 14,212 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Maine: 75%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Waterville: Angus S King Jr
Maine: Jr 52.1%, Kouzounas 34.6%
President, 2024: Waterville, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville | 61.8% | 35.7% | 2.6% | 7,393 |
| Maine | 52.4% | 45.5% | 2.1% | 831,375 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Waterville.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: waterville-me.gov ↗
- 2Maine HouseWaterville is split between 2 districts
- 3Maine SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Maine
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Waterville compares with the towns next door
Waterville spent $2,874 per resident in 2022. Most of its neighbors are townships, a different kind of government, so the like-for-like comparison is with similar cities, above. Tap a town to see its page.
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Waterville’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Waterville’s government
How much does Waterville spend per resident?
About $3,868 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,874 was less than 93% of 30 U.S. cities of 10,000–24,999 that run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Waterville?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,755 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.49% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Maine. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see waterville-me.gov.
Who runs Waterville’s government?
See waterville-me.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Waterville yet.
How did Waterville vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 61.8%, Donald J Trump 35.7% (7,393 votes, official results). . Maine: Harris 52.4%, Trump 45.5%.
How many people work for Waterville?
540 full-time and 96 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $3.0M (about $35.9M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Waterville in the state legislature?
Waterville is split among 2 State House districts, so your address decides. The Maine Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Its State Senate district is District 16 (Scott Cyrway). Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Waterville’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →