Compare towns
Orono vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Bangor has the most kids (16.7% under 18).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% 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 | Bangor |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,902Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5kHighest 18% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Orono and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
17 minHighest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Bangor 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 | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Orono High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.