Compare towns

Bradley vs Mapleton 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 people working from home (12.1%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Orono is a college town. 59.8% 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.

MeasureBradleyMapletonOrono
People
Population
1,645Lowest
1,884
11,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.7%
ME: +2.6%
-3.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+7.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
42.6±9.7Highest
5% below ME
41.8±6
7% below ME
21.6±0.3Lowest
52% below ME
Bradley and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.9%±5.1
ME: 18.1%
22.2%±5.1Highest
ME: 18.1%
6.8%±1.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Mapleton and Bradley 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%
18.3%±3.1
ME: 22.4%
11%±2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bradley and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.7%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
34.3%
ME: 36.2%
69.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.2%±2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5%±2.9
ME: 5.8%
59.8%±3.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$76,667±$28k
about the ME average
$91,731±$25kHighest
23% above ME
$59,784±$5kLowest
20% below ME
Mapleton 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
$191,800±$23kLowest
35% below ME
$262,900±$39kHighest
11% 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
$610±$277Lowest
46% below ME
$1,280±$117Highest
12% 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
$1,946
36% below ME
$1,789Lowest
41% below ME
$4,778Highest
57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.3%±22.5
ME: 48.4%
16.7%±10.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
60.2%±11.1Highest
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%
8.9%
ME: 10.7%
27%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.6%Highest
ME: 74.3%
79.9%
ME: 74.3%
41.7%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1984Highest
7 yrs newer than ME
1977
same as ME
1976Lowest
1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
7% below ME
28 minHighest
13% above ME
15 minLowest
38% below ME
Work from home
12.1%±7.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
10.8%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
11%±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 79/MSAD 01 —
High school in town None in town None in town —
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.