Compare towns
Oakland vs Oakland vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering OaklandWaterville
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the most kids (29.1% under 18).
Oakland has the highest household income ($78k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Oakland | Oakland | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,710 |
6,309Highest |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 32.6±5.5 27% below ME |
40.2±6.9Highest 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Oakland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.1%±8Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Oakland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $44,848±$19kLowest 40% below ME |
$77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Oakland and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $167,000±$65kLowest 44% below ME |
$236,000±$23kHighest 20% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Oakland and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $956±$119Highest 16% below ME |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Oakland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,149Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,439 20% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.6%±24.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 22% below ME |
27 minHighest 8% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | Messalonskee High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.