Compare towns
Bangor vs Augusta vs Orono
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1954).
Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bangor | Augusta | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
19,077 |
11,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$61,528±$5kHighest 18% below ME |
| Orono and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 33% below ME |
19 minHighest 24% below ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Orono 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Cony | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
17.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.