Compare towns
Sidney vs Williston vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the most homeowners (89.4%).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Williston | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
10,144Highest |
6,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.2±6.9Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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 3% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$236,000±$23kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$939±$74Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 21% below U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$2,439Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oakland and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 |
U.S. 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.