Compare towns
Orono vs Waterville 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Waterville | Bradley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902 |
17,077Highest |
1,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
42.6±9.7Highest 5% below ME |
| Bradley and Waterville 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% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.9%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Waterville 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% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.5%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bradley and Waterville 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% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$76,667±$28kHighest about the ME average |
| Bradley and Orono 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 |
$201,800±$37k 32% below ME |
| Orono and Bradley 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 |
$978±$72Lowest 14% 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 |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$1,946Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±22.5Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
23 minHighest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Bradley 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 | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | Orono High School | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| 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.