Compare towns
Oakland vs Belgrade 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 (23.8% under 18).
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% 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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
3,351Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Belgrade and Oakland 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Waterville 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% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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±$23k 20% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74 18% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% 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 | $2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest 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 | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 8% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.