Compare towns
Poland vs Unity vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Poland | Unity | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,954 |
1,858Lowest |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
| Poland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest 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+ | 17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Highest 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+ | 23.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
| Poland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
| Poland and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,774Highest 9% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest 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 | 16.6% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Unity 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Poland Regional H S | Ecology Learning Ctr | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.4 |
14.2Highest |
| 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.