Compare towns
Hiram vs Orono
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Hiram | Orono |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
11,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±10.2Highest 7% below ME |
21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $62,813±$10kHighest 16% below ME |
$59,784±$5kLowest 20% below ME |
| Hiram and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$42kLowest 13% below ME |
$262,900±$39kHighest 11% below ME |
| Orono and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,070±$161Lowest 6% below ME |
$1,280±$117Highest 12% above ME |
| Orono and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
$4,778Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.2%±11.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 12.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
27%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 28% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Hiram 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 55/MSAD 55 | — |
| High school in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.