Compare towns
Levant vs Orono vs Mechanic Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Levant has the highest household income ($86k).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Mechanic Falls has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
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 | Levant | Orono | Mechanic Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,069Lowest |
11,902Highest |
3,134 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
39.8±4.7Highest 11% below ME |
| Mechanic Falls and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.4%±6 ME: 22.4% |
| Levant and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$69,914±$12k 6% below ME |
| Levant and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$27kLowest 9% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$270,900±$44k 9% below ME |
| Orono and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$1,255±$112 10% above ME |
$1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
| Levant and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$2,993 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±20.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Mechanic Falls 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 | #124 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME | #122 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 26 | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Orono High School | None in town |
| 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.