Compare towns
Oakland vs Belgrade vs Bucksport
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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Bucksport has the most renters (25.7% rent).
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 | Belgrade | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
3,351Lowest |
5,016 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
42.7±12.2 5% below ME |
| Belgrade and Bucksport 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% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Oakland 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 |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
| Belgrade 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±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$252,300±$32k 15% below ME |
| Belgrade and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Highest 18% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$882±$92 23% below ME |
| Oakland and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439 20% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$2,021Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Bucksport 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | RSU 25 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | Bucksport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.