Compare towns
Mapleton vs Newburgh vs Orono vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Newburgh has the most homeowners (81.2%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.6).
Franklin has the most people working from home (12.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Newburgh | Orono | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,475Lowest |
11,151Highest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$59,784±$5kLowest 20% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$262,900±$39kHighest 11% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Orono and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$1,280±$117Highest 12% above ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Orono and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
$4,778Highest 57% above ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
60.2%±11.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
27%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin and Orono 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.