Compare towns
Oakland vs Smithfield vs Sidney
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).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Smithfield | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
856Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Sidney 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Smithfield 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% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Smithfield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 |
| School district | RSU 18 | — | RSU 18 |
| 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 | 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.