Compare towns
Oakland vs Canton
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 highest household income ($78k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
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 | Canton |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
1,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
41.4±7.2Highest 8% below ME |
| Canton 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% |
20.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Canton 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% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Oakland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23kHighest 20% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
| Oakland and Canton 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 |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Highest 20% below ME |
$2,277Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton 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% |
8.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Oakland 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.