Compare towns
Orrington vs Mapleton vs Hampden vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orrington has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Orrington | Mapleton | Hampden | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,853 |
1,884Lowest |
5,161Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.1±6.3Lowest 8% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Orrington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Orrington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.9% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Hampden and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$49k 4% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$285,900±$33k 4% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
| Readfield and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,167±$135Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,133±$375 about the ME average |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Orrington and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823 7% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,863Highest 27% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
25.2%±18 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Hampden 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 | #41 of 133 in ME | — | #6 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Orrington Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.