Compare towns
Sidney vs Westbrook 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%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Westbrook | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
20,775Highest |
6,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% 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% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest 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% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest 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% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook 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 |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
| Westbrook 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±$34k 13% above ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Westbrook and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Westbrook 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 |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 minHighest 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Westbrook High School | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.