Compare towns
Sidney vs Kennebunk 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%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Kennebunk | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
11,820Highest |
6,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Kennebunk 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 |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Kennebunk 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #15 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 21 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.