Compare towns
Oakland vs Waterville vs Smithfield
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 kids (23.8% under 18).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Smithfield has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
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 | Waterville | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
17,077Highest |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield 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 20% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Waterville 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 |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| 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% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | Waterville Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | Waterville Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.