Compare towns
Sidney vs Union 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%).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Union | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
2,663Lowest |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
| Sidney and Union 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Oakland 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% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Union 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 |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union 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 | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | 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.