Compare towns
Oakland vs Appleton vs Poland
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 (23.8% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Appleton | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
1,360Lowest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
| Poland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
| Poland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Appleton 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 | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.