Compare towns
Bangor vs Lancaster vs Upton 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Upton | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$61,528±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$272,600±$40k 18% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,255±$112 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,830 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
46.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 37% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 11.2 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.