Compare towns
Biddeford vs Orono vs Bangor
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).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k 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 | Biddeford | Orono | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
11,902Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6 22% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bangor 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% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor 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% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,255±$112 10% above ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below 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 |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 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 | 15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
47.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
17 min 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest 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 | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 26 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Orono High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
13.3 |
| 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.