Compare towns
Bangor vs Hermon vs Paris
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Paris has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Hermon | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
6,727 |
5,317Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
| Paris 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 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9Lowest 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%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris 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% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$75,137±$20k about the ME average |
| Hermon and Paris 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 |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$240,400±$57k 19% below 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 |
$2,761 9% below ME |
$2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Bangor 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% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
60.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
23 minHighest 8% below ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Bangor 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 | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| 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.