The Town FilesOrrington, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 3,812 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $309,000
- Household income
- $94,556
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 49.5
Orrington is a town of 3,812 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $309,000, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for families than 89% of Maine towns, easier by car than 87% of Maine towns, more upscale than 85% of Maine towns.
How Orrington ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Orrington is worth $309,000, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $94,556, which is more affordable than 56% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,167 a month. 88.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orrington | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $309,000 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,167 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $94,556 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.5% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.0% | — |
Who lives in Orrington
| People | Orrington | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.5 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.5% | 90.0% |
Weather in Orrington
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.6 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Orrington since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 16, 2021.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Orrington itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Orrington
1 public school with 354 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center Drive School | PK-8 | 354 | 13.1 |
Towns near Orrington
- Bucksport, ME3.2 mi · 4,944 people · home $252,300
- Hampden, ME5.6 mi · 4,516 people · home $285,900
- Holden, ME6.6 mi · 3,277 people · home $289,400
- Hampden, ME6.6 mi · 7,709 people · home $301,300
- Brewer, ME6.8 mi · 9,672 people · home $245,300
- Bucksport, ME7.2 mi · 2,832 people · home $214,300
- Winterport, ME7.6 mi · 3,817 people · home $283,000
- Bangor, ME9.8 mi · 31,753 people · home $219,600
Orrington questions
Is Orrington, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orrington scores better for retirees than 73% of Maine towns and quieter than 79%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.5).
How much does a house cost in Orrington?
The median owner-occupied home in Orrington is valued at $309,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,556, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,167 a month.
What is the weather like in Orrington?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 74.6 inches of snow.
Does Orrington get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Orrington in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)