What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Pittsfield has the most people working from home (11.6%).

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.

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

Measure	Oakland	Pittsfield
People
Population	6,309Highest	3,930Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.2±6.9Highest 10% below ME	40±6.5Lowest 11% below ME
	Oakland and Pittsfield 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%	22.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Oakland and Pittsfield 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%	15.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Oakland and Pittsfield 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%	26.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.8%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Pittsfield 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±$16kHighest 4% above ME	$57,381±$12kLowest 23% below ME
	Oakland and Pittsfield 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	$164,100±$17kLowest 45% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$939±$74Highest 18% below ME	$825±$260Lowest 28% below ME
	Oakland and Pittsfield 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	$1,965Lowest 35% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4%	50.5%±21.2Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Oakland and Pittsfield 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%	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	76.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 8% above ME	24 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	11.6%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Pittsfield 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	#125 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 18	RSU 53/MSAD 53
High school in town	Messalonskee High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2	—
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.