Compare towns
Bradley vs Cornish vs Orono
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bradley has the most affordable homes ($202k median).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
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 | Bradley | Cornish | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
1,803 |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±9.7Highest 5% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Bradley and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bradley and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,667±$28kHighest about the ME average |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Bradley and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,800±$37kLowest 32% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$325Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
| Orono and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,946Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±22.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bradley 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 | — | — | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 34 | — | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.