Compare towns
Oakland vs Waterville vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering OaklandOakland
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the most kids (29.1% under 18).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Waterville | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,710 |
17,077Highest |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 32.6±5.5 27% below ME |
35.5±2.5Highest 21% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Waterville 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% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $44,848±$19kLowest 40% below ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
| Unity and Waterville 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 |
$184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $956±$119 16% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% 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 |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.6%±24.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 22% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
21 minHighest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Unity 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | Waterville Senior High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.