Compare towns
Bangor vs Hallowell 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 kids (16.7% under 18).
Hallowell has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Hallowell | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
2,592Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bangor and Hallowell 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% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.5% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$68,398±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
| Hallowell and Orono 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 |
$295,300±$45kHighest about the ME average |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
| Hallowell and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$890±$175Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,867 27% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% ME: 74.3% |
58.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minHighest 33% below ME |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
15 min 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Hallowell 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 | — | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 02 | 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 |
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.