Compare towns
Bangor vs Brewer vs Ogunquit 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 most affordable homes ($220k median).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
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 | Brewer | Ogunquit | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
9,652 |
1,379Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer 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% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
— | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 33% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Brewer Public Schools | — | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Brewer High School | — | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
14.0Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.