Compare towns
Bangor vs Orono vs Upton
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).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Orono | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
11,902 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 5% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest 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% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$61,528±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$272,600±$40k 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
$1,255±$112Highest 11% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,830 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orono and Upton 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% |
24.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
46.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 37% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 26 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Orono High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.