At $2,900/mo, rent takes about 58% of the local median household income, well above the 30% benchmark.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,900 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
30% of the median household income ($59,784) is $1,495 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,210); a 2-bedroom is $1,540.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Orono. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Orono, ME is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 69.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Orono, ME has changed in 5 years
Census figures show median household income at $59,784 today, compared with $47,412 five years earlier. Census counts show Orono, ME adding about 725 residents over the five-year window, up 7.0% on net. The renter share has risen from 55.3% to 58.3%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder.
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Can you afford rent in Orono on your salary?
At $2,900/mo, how Orono rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Orono rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Orono. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Orono
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Orono is $2,900/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,120/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,540/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,210/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,970/mo.
At 58% of local median household income ($59,784/yr), Orono ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Orono?
How does Orono rent compare to other cities in Maine?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Orono?
At $2,900/mo, rent takes ~58% of Orono's median household income ($59,784/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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