Compare towns
Sidney vs Belgrade vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Oakland has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Sidney | Belgrade | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
3,351Lowest |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Sidney and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 19% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 minHighest 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.2 |
| 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.