Compare towns
Orono vs Brownfield vs Westbrook
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 youngest population (median age 21.8).
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Brownfield | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902 |
1,830Lowest |
20,775Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
39.9±6.8Highest 11% below ME |
37.4±1 17% below ME |
| Brownfield and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Brownfield and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,600±$40kLowest 8% below ME |
$287,500±$36k 3% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
| Brownfield and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$2,976Lowest about the ME average |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brownfield and Orono 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 133 in ME | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Orono High School | None in town | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| 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.