What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Chase has the most affordable homes ($116k median).

Orland has the most expensive homes ($277k median).

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	Mount Chase	Orland
People
Population	280Lowest	1,915Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-0.2% ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.9±10.9Lowest 11% above ME	50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME
	Orland and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1%	14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Chase and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.9%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4%	27.5%±2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Chase and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Highest ME: 36.2%	31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Orland and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME	$69,348±$29kHighest 7% below ME
	Orland and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME	$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME	$1,149±$177Lowest about the ME average
	Mount Chase and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,548Lowest 49% below ME	$2,089Highest 31% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	45%±23.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Orland and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	30.7%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest ME: 74.3%	87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 9% above ME	40 minHighest 62% above ME
Work from home	22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9%	17%±11.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Chase and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.