Compare towns
Oakland vs Windham vs Poland
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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Windham | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
19,188Highest |
5,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
| Poland and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Poland 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Oakland and Poland 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Poland 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Windham and Poland 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
| Windham and Poland 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Poland 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 14 | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | Windham High School | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.