Compare towns
Bradley vs Kenduskeag 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 kids (21.9% under 18).
Kenduskeag has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
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 | Kenduskeag | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645 |
1,333Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±9.7 5% below ME |
43.9±5.8Highest about the ME average |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Kenduskeag and Bradley 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% |
20%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Kenduskeag 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% |
15.6%±1.2 ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% ME: 36.2% |
17.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,667±$28k about the ME average |
$79,792±$14kHighest 7% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Kenduskeag and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,800±$37k 32% below ME |
$177,900±$37kLowest 40% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
| Orono and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$325 4% below ME |
$1,033±$287Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
| Orono and Bradley 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 |
$2,059 32% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±35.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Bradley 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% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.4% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±6 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bradley and Kenduskeag 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.