Compare towns
Oakland vs Berwick vs Belgrade
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).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Belgrade has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
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 | Berwick | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
8,175Highest |
3,351Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
| Belgrade and Berwick 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% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Berwick 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% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest 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±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Berwick and Belgrade 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 |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Berwick and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74 18% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Berwick 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% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2 |
— | — |
| 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.