Compare towns
Orono vs Canton vs Old Town
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).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Canton | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902Highest |
1,191Lowest |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41.4±7.2Highest 8% below ME |
37±1.5 17% below ME |
| Canton and Old Town 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% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Old Town and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5kHighest 18% below ME |
$52,458±$35k 30% below ME |
$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME |
| Orono and Canton 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 |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$208,100±$26k 30% below ME |
| Orono and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$989±$100 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$2,277Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,153 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton 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% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
21.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1963Lowest 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
20 min 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town and Canton 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 | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | — | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Orono High School | — | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.