Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Waterville, Maine
A $174,000 home here costs
$1,640per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $895. The real number is $746 higher every month — 83% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Waterville against Kennebec County and Maine
| Measure | Waterville | Kennebec County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,700 | $219,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,679 | $2,510 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.542% | 1.141% |
| Median gross rent | $957 | $952 |
| Population | 16,704 | 125,614 |
The weather behind that power bill
Waterville sits in Kennebec County, which averages a high of 79.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.1°F in its coldest, with 41.84" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 428 cooling and 7,278 heating degree days, which is what sets the $257 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Kennebec County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Kennebec County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Waterville?
A $174,000 home in Waterville, Maine costs approximately $1,640 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $895 principal and interest, $224 property tax, $52 homeowners insurance, $325 utilities and $145 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Waterville?
Waterville has an effective property tax rate of 1.542%, based on a median home value of $173,700 and median real estate taxes of $2,679. That is higher than the Kennebec County average of 1.141%.
What is the average home price in Waterville?
The median owner-occupied home value in Waterville, Maine is $173,700, against $219,900 across Kennebec County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Waterville?
Median gross rent in Waterville is $957 a month, against $1,640 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Waterville — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maine.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.