Compare towns
Sidney vs Somerville 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 people working from home (14.3%).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Oakland has the most renters (22.4% rent).
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 | Somerville | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
837Lowest |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% 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%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Oakland 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% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
| Sidney and Oakland 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 |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
$2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 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%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney and Oakland 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 | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 12 | 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 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.