Compare towns
Oakland vs Sidney vs Windham
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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Sidney | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
4,790Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Oakland 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% |
18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sidney 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% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oakland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oakland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.