Compare towns
Buxton vs Bangor vs Standish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Standish has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Buxton | Bangor | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Lowest |
31,938Highest |
10,662 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Buxton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Bangor and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Standish and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
| Standish and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
| Buxton and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Standish 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bangor High School | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.