Compare towns
Orono vs Hermon vs Biddeford
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).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Biddeford has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Hermon | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902 |
6,727Lowest |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41.1±4.7Highest 8% below ME |
35±2.6 22% below ME |
| Hermon and Biddeford 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% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Biddeford 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Biddeford 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Hermon and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,600±$40kLowest 8% below ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
| Hermon and Biddeford 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 |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Biddeford 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | Hermon Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Orono High School | Hermon High School | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
14.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.