What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).

Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bangor	Hermon
People
Population	31,938Highest	6,727Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME	41.1±4.7Highest 8% below ME
	Hermon and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hermon and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hermon 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 ME: 36.2%	37.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%	4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME	$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME	$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME	$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,076Highest about the ME average	$2,761Lowest 9% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4%	28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bangor and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	75.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 33% below ME	23 minHighest 8% below ME
Work from home	10.1%±2.5Highest ME: 15.9%	8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bangor and Hermon 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	#54 of 133 in ME
School district	Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4	Hermon Public Schools
High school in town	Bangor High School	Hermon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.