Compare towns
Oakland vs Unity vs Oakland
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 highest household income ($78k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Oakland has the most kids (29.1% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
1,858Lowest |
2,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Highest 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
32.6±5.5 27% below ME |
| Oakland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.1%±8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Oakland 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
14.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Oakland 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$44,848±$19kLowest 40% below ME |
| Oakland and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$167,000±$65kLowest 44% below ME |
| Oakland and Unity 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$956±$119Highest 16% below ME |
| Oakland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439 20% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,149Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.6%±24.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Oakland 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 8% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
19 minLowest 22% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.