Compare towns
Bangor vs Epping vs Hermon 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).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Epping | Hermon | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
7,430 |
6,727Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hermon 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Hermon 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% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
$61,528±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
$272,600±$40k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
$1,255±$112 11% below U.S. |
| Epping and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the U.S. average |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,830 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Orono 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
46.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 37% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #54 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Epping School District | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Epping High School | Hermon High School | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
9.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.