What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oakland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).

Fairfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Oakland	Fairfield
People
Population	6,309Lowest	6,519Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME	43.1±4Highest 4% below ME
	Fairfield 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%	19.8%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Oakland and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4%	17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Oakland and Fairfield 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%	15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	4%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Oakland and Fairfield 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	$64,101±$11kLowest 14% below ME
	Oakland and Fairfield 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	$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME	$1,001±$101Highest 12% below ME
	Fairfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,439Highest 20% below ME	$2,217Lowest 27% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4%	42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Oakland and Fairfield 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%	10.9%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	78.6%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 minHighest 8% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	12.1%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Fairfield 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	#47 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 18	RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
High school in town	Messalonskee High School	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2Highest	13.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.