Compare towns
Orono vs Chapman 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).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Orono has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
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 | Chapman | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,151 |
388Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
21.8±0.3 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest 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 |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $262,900±$39k 11% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
| Orono and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,280±$117Highest 12% above ME |
— | $1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
| Orono 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 |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±11.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 11%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orono 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 | — | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | — | — | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.