Compare towns
Oakland vs Ogunquit vs Unity vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the most kids (29.1% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Unity | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,710 |
1,379Lowest |
1,858 |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 32.6±5.5 27% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 29.1%±8Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $44,848±$19kLowest 40% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $956±$119 16% below ME |
— | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
| Waterville 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.6%±24.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Waterville 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 22% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 133 in ME | — | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.