Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Bangor vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Alfred has the most expensive homes ($342k median).
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 | Bowdoin | Bangor | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
31,938Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
44.9±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Alfred and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
| Alfred and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Bangor and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin and Bangor 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bangor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.