Compare towns
Bangor vs Wells 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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Wells | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
11,713Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Bangor 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,255±$112 10% above ME |
| Wells and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 33% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Wells High School | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
11.4 |
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.