Compare towns
Oakland vs Denmark 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).
Denmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Denmark | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
1,054Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
54.4±5Highest 21% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Denmark 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% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME |
$64,167±$10k 14% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Oakland and Denmark 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 |
$250,000±$68kHighest 16% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Denmark 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 |
$1,409±$207Highest 24% above ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439 20% below ME |
$2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Denmark 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | — | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | — | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.