Compare towns
Orono vs Mapleton vs Orono 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Orono has the most renters (58.3% rent).
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 | Mapleton | Orono | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,902Highest |
1,884Lowest |
11,151 |
7,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3 51% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
37±1.5 17% below ME |
| Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Orono and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,784±$5k 20% below ME |
$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$262,900±$39k 11% below ME |
$208,100±$26k 30% below ME |
| Orono and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112 10% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,280±$117Highest 12% above ME |
$989±$100 13% below ME |
| Orono and Orono 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,778 57% above ME |
$3,153 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.2%±11.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 24.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
27%Highest ME: 10.7% |
21.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
59.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1963Lowest 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
20 min 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town 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 | — | #26 of 133 in ME | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Orono High School | None in town | — | 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 | 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.