Compare towns
Orono vs Porter
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 shortest commute (15 min average).
Porter has the most kids (16.8% under 18).
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 | Porter |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,151Highest |
1,746Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $59,784±$5kLowest 20% below ME |
$60,417±$9kHighest 19% below ME |
| Porter and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $262,900±$39kHighest 11% below ME |
$226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME |
| Orono and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,280±$117 12% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,778Highest 57% above ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±11.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Porter 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% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 11%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Porter 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 | — |
| 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.