Compare towns
Biddeford vs Mapleton vs Orono
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | Biddeford | Mapleton | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
1,884Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6 22% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Mapleton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,255±$112 10% above ME |
| Biddeford and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 45% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Biddeford 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | — | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 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.