Blue Hill vs Orono
Blue Hill, Maine versus Orono, Maine: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Blue Hill edges out Orono on overall objective livability (54 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Blue Hill | Orono |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | — | $53k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $342k | $213k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $206 | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.21% | 2.07% |
| Income Tax | 7.10% | 7.10% |
| Sales Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | — | 17.26% |
| Unemployment | 0.0% | 6.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 17°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.4 in | 44.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 71.5 in | 74.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 221 days |
| Summer Humidity | 59°F | 59°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 71 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.5 | 19.2 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 29 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 777/100k | 249/100k |
| Property Crime | 838/100k | 360/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 950 | 10,116 |
| Median Age | 52.3 | 21.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.04 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.44 | 1.07 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 97.8% | 86.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.2% | 3.7% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 4.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.0% | 3.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 17 min |
| Walkability | 6.4/20 | 7.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 186 mi | 209 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 74.8% | 81.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 168.42 | 67.22 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Blue Hill or Orono more affordable?
- Orono has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Blue Hill's $55k and Orono's $55k.
- Is Blue Hill or Orono safer?
- Orono has the lower violent crime rate. Blue Hill reports 777/100k and Orono reports 249/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Blue Hill or Orono?
- The median home value is $342k in Blue Hill and $213k in Orono, so homes are more affordable in Orono.