Compare towns
Levant vs Orono vs Stetson
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%).
Stetson has the most affordable homes ($206k median).
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 | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,069 |
11,902Highest |
1,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
42.2±5.1Highest 6% below ME |
| Stetson 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% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson 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% |
14.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Levant and Stetson 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% |
19.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$76,023±$28k about the ME average |
| Levant and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$205,700±$34kLowest 31% below ME |
| Orono and Levant 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 |
$800±$377Lowest 30% 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 | $2,580 15% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$1,962Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Orono 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% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Stetson 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | 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 Our Story | 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.