Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Mapleton vs Orono vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.6).
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.
| Measure | Castle Hill | Mapleton | Orono | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 281Lowest |
1,884 |
11,151Highest |
378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
55.5±8.6 24% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,784±$5k 20% below ME |
$50,833±$31kLowest 32% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$262,900±$39kHighest 11% below ME |
$209,700±$30k 29% below ME |
| Orono and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,280±$117Highest 12% above ME |
— |
| Orono and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$4,778Highest 57% above ME |
$1,478 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.2%±11.1 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lowell and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
27%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Mapleton 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 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school 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.