Compare towns
Orono vs Ellsworth vs Bradley
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).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Bradley has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | Ellsworth | Bradley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902Highest |
8,657 |
1,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
42.6±9.7 5% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Bradley 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% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.9%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.5%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Bradley 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% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$76,667±$28k about the ME average |
| Ellsworth and Bradley 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 |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$201,800±$37kLowest 32% below ME |
| Orono and Ellsworth 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 |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,088±$325 4% below ME |
| Orono and Bradley 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 |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$1,946Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±22.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bradley 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 26 | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Orono High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.