Compare towns
Oakland vs Warner 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).
Warner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Warner | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
2,959Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 3% above U.S. |
43.7±4Highest 12% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Warner and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Oakland and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warner and Waterville 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% |
42.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% below U.S. |
$94,022±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Warner 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. |
$353,100±$22kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123Highest 14% below U.S. |
$978±$72 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$2,755 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oakland and Waterville 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Kearsarge Regional School District | 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 | 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.