Compare towns
Bangor vs Calais vs Orono
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Calais | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,713Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
42±8.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Calais 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$61,528±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$272,600±$40k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,255±$112 11% below U.S. |
| Calais and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,830 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
46.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 37% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | — | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.