Compare towns
Castle Hill 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
Castle Hill has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Castle Hill | Mapleton | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 281Lowest |
1,884 |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Mapleton 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%±1.5Lowest 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% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% 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 |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Orono 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% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest 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 | 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 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.