Compare towns
Orono vs Waterville
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%).
Waterville has the most kids (14.4% under 18).
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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,902Lowest |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
35.5±2.5Highest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5kHighest 18% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Orono and Waterville 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
18 minHighest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 26 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Orono High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.