(This is the second in a series of occasional snippets from the 2010 Census profiling the Town of Orono.  This snippet covers households and housing units.)

While Orono’s population grew by 13.7% between 2000 and 2010, the increase in population living in households – rather than in dormitories or nursing homes – was a bit less at 8.3%.  The number of households themselves increased by 5.2%, to 2,831.

The changing complexion of Orono is reflected in the changing make-up of households.  The number of families actually dropped by nearly 5%, while the number of households comprising unrelated people living together jumped by more than 14%.  Unmarried partners were a small part of this increase and might better be considered on the family side of the equation.  But it appears that most of the growth was in student population living off campus.

Housing stock increased by 190 units over the decade, according to the Census, or 5.2% -- after accounting both for new construction and for units lost to fire or demolition.  But owner-occupied units dropped slightly, by 3.3%, while renter-occupied units increased by nearly 13%.  The Orchard Trails complex accounted for the majority of this increase, but there was growth in renter-occupied housing elsewhere in town as well.

About 56% of the occupied dwelling units in Orono are occupied by renters and 44% by owners.

Average household size increased very slightly, from 2.23 persons per household in 2000 to 2.29 in 2010.  The average is 2.44 for owner-occupied units and 2.18 for renter-occupied units.

Watch for the next Census Says..., which will look closer at how Orono is growing.