Compare towns
Berwick vs Orono vs Mapleton vs Trenton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most people working from home (13.7%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Trenton has the most expensive homes ($357k 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 | Berwick | Orono | Mapleton | Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
11,902Highest |
1,884 |
1,599Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.5±7.7Highest about the ME average |
| Trenton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Trenton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,455±$13kLowest 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$357,400±$36kHighest 20% above ME |
| Trenton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,102±$241 3% below ME |
| Orono and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806 25% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,310 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±20.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 26 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Trenton Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Orono High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.