Compare towns
Bangor vs Paris vs Orono
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 affordable homes ($220k median).
Paris has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
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 | Paris | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
5,317Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bangor and Paris 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% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris 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% ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$75,137±$20kHighest about the ME average |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
| Paris 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±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
| Orono and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
— | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Orono 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% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 33% below ME |
22 minHighest 9% below ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Orono 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 | #114 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.