Compare towns
Orient vs Danforth vs Washburn vs Meddybemps
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Washburn has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Meddybemps has the oldest population (median age 63.9).
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 | Orient | Danforth | Washburn | Meddybemps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 137Lowest |
452 |
1,355Highest |
139 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -9.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 62±9 38% above ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
48.2±7.7Lowest 8% above ME |
63.9±4.2Highest 43% above ME |
| Meddybemps and Orient are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±18.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5%±21.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Washburn and Orient are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
39.6%±15.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Orient and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±11.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±10.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Meddybemps and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$56,196±$6kHighest 25% below ME |
$48,000±$13k 36% below ME |
| Washburn and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$112,900±$14k 62% below ME |
$295,000±$73k about the ME average |
| Orient and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$22Highest 45% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | — | $1,571Highest 48% below ME |
$1,206Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | — | 27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.4%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | Washburn District High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
— |
| 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.