Compare towns
Oakland vs Windsor 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 highest household income ($78k).
Windsor has the oldest population (median age 44.8).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Windsor | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309 |
3,554Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 3% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Windsor 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% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Oakland and Windsor 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$53,580±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23kHighest 29% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31k 38% below U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Oakland and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89Highest 27% below U.S. |
$978±$72 31% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
$2,755 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterville and Windsor 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #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 History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.