Compare towns
Oakland vs Waterville vs Warren
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 the most people working from home (16.6%).
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Waterville | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
17,077Highest |
4,932Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
42.2±2.2Highest 6% below ME |
| Warren 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 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville 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% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
| Oakland and Warren 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
| Oakland and Warren 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 |
$1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
| Warren 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 |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Warren 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% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 8% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Warren 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 | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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| 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.