Compare towns
Orange vs Eliot vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($303k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Sharon has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Orange | Eliot | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
7,146Highest |
442 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2 27% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,750±$39kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$113,125±$19k 40% above U.S. |
| Orange and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38k 43% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,458±$1kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132 65% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,274Highest 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orange and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.