Compare towns
Bangor vs Exeter 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).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
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 | Exeter | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
16,151 |
11,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$61,528±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$272,600±$40k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,255±$112 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,830 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
24.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
46.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 37% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Exeter High School | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.