Compare towns
Bangor vs Ogunquit vs Orono vs Waterville
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
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 | Ogunquit | Orono | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,379Lowest |
11,902 |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bangor and Waterville 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Ogunquit 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±$10k 26% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
— | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
20.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 33% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | — | #26 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — | RSU 26 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | — | Orono High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.