What stands out worked out from the figures below

Millis has the most kids (18.4% under 18).

Orono has the most affordable homes ($273k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Millis	Orono
People
Population	8,888Lowest	11,902Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±3Highest 19% above U.S.	21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22%	6.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	23.5%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$155,996±$9kHighest 93% above U.S.	$61,528±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$603,500±$31kHighest 81% above U.S.	$272,600±$40kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,696±$279Highest 20% above U.S.	$1,255±$112Lowest 11% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,344Highest 200% above U.S.	$4,830Lowest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.5%±16.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.1%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Orono and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	46.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	15 minLowest 42% below U.S.
Work from home	17.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Millis 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	#63 of 282 in MA	#26 of 133 in ME
School district	Millis	RSU 26
High school in town	Millis High School	Orono High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7	10.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.