Compare towns
Oakland vs Jay vs Poland
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).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
4,657Lowest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
| Poland 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% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Poland 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% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay 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% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Jay 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 |
$85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
| Poland 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 |
$283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
| Poland and Oakland 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 |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439 20% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,774Highest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Poland 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% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland 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 | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 73 | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | Spruce Mountain High School | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.7 |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.