Compare towns
Oakland vs Jay 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 renters (22.4% rent).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Jay | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
4,657 |
3,351Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above 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% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 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% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Jay 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% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Lowest 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±$16k 4% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Highest 18% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$857±$108 25% below ME |
| Oakland and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439 20% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Jay 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 8% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade 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 | #86 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 73 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.7Lowest |
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| 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.