Compare towns
Porter vs Orono
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Porter has the most kids (16.8% under 18).
Orono has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Orono is a college town. 59.8% 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 | Porter | Orono |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,746Lowest |
11,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
21.6±0.3Lowest 52% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
69.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
59.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kHighest 19% below ME |
$59,784±$5kLowest 20% below ME |
| Porter and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME |
$262,900±$39kHighest 11% below ME |
| Orono and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,280±$117 12% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,778Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.2%±11.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
27%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
41.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Porter 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 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.