Compare towns

Mapleton vs Orono vs Westbrook

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 homeowners (79.9%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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.

MeasureMapletonOronoWestbrook
People
Population
1,884Lowest
11,902
20,775Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+7.9%
ME: +2.6%
+16.6%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.8±6Highest
7% below ME
21.8±0.3Lowest
51% below ME
37.4±1
17% below ME
Mapleton and Westbrook 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%
6.8%±1.5Lowest
ME: 18.1%
18.5%±2.4
ME: 18.1%
Mapleton and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.3%±3.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
11.4%±1.9Lowest
ME: 22.4%
18.1%±2.2
ME: 22.4%
Mapleton and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.3%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
66.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
41.3%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5%±2.9Lowest
ME: 5.8%
56.1%±3.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
9%±2.5
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,731±$25kHighest
23% above ME
$61,528±$5kLowest
18% below ME
$85,038±$7k
14% above ME
Mapleton and Westbrook 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
$272,600±$40k
8% below ME
$383,300±$19kHighest
29% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$610±$277Lowest
46% below ME
$1,255±$112
10% above ME
$1,392±$74Highest
22% above ME
Westbrook and Orono 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
$4,830Highest
59% above ME
$4,005
32% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
16.7%±10.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
58.1%±10.6Highest
ME: 48.4%
46.1%±7.4
ME: 48.4%
Orono and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%
ME: 10.7%
24.9%Highest
ME: 10.7%
8%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
46.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
61.2%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Highest
same as ME
1977Highest
same as ME
1975Lowest
2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
13% above ME
15 minLowest
38% below ME
19 min
24% below ME
Work from home
10.8%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
11.3%±3.2
ME: 15.9%
17.8%±2.8Highest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #26 of 133 in ME #115 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 79/MSAD 01 RSU 26 Westbrook Public Schools
High school in town None in town Orono High School Westbrook High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.7Lowest
12.0Highest
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.