Compare towns
Oakland vs Putney vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Putney has the most expensive homes ($300k median).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Putney | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
2,622Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Highest 3% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2 4% below U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Oakland and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Oakland and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waterville 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Putney and Waterville 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% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Putney 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 29% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Putney and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74 34% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$978±$72Highest 31% below U.S. |
| Waterville and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,755 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oakland and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney and Waterville 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.