Compare towns
Orono vs Biddeford vs Orono
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orono has the most renters (58.3% rent).
Biddeford has the most kids (15.6% under 18).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Orono is a college town. 59.8% 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.
| Measure | Orono | Biddeford | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,151Lowest |
22,498Highest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
35±2.6Highest 22% below ME |
21.8±0.3 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Orono and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,784±$5kLowest 20% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $262,900±$39kLowest 11% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,280±$117 12% above ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
| Biddeford and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,778 57% above ME |
$4,401Lowest 45% above ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±11.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 11%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Biddeford 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 | #26 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | — | Biddeford High School | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.