Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Danforth vs Orient 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 the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
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 | Danforth | Orient | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
452 |
137Lowest |
3,125 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | — | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
62±9Highest 38% above ME |
44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
| Orient and Danforth 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% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±18.9 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% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0%±11.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Bowdoin and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% 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 |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
$342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
| Orient and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
— | $1,035±$432Highest 9% below ME |
| Alfred and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
— | — | $3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Orient and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
— | 28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.