Compare towns
Sidney vs Gorham 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 the most homeowners (89.4%).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
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 | Gorham | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
18,300Highest |
6,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
| Sidney and Oakland 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% |
20.9%±3.5Lowest 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%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Oakland 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Gorham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 19% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.