This Maine Town Named One of the Best for Hockey Fans in America

We love our hockey up here in New England—especially in Maine—so this really shouldn’t come as a surprise at all.

Listen, we’re going to bury the lead a little bit here — and sure, we all probably have a good guess where this is heading, but (black) bear with us for just a moment. Sometimes the fun is in the build-up, not just the big reveal.

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That said, how are the best cities and towns for hockey fans in the country even decided? What makes one better than another?

To determine the best cities for hockey fans, WalletHub analyzed 76 U.S. cities with at least one college or professional hockey team, comparing them across NHL and NCAA divisions using 21 weighted metrics. Each city received a score based on a 100-point scale, with final rankings calculated through a weighted average that factored in team popularity and overall fan experience.

Now, you can probably guess which town we’re talking about. But let’s actually answer the question: which Maine town is considered one of the best for hockey fans?

According to WalletHub and their recent report highlighting the ‘Best Cities for Hockey Fans (2025),’ Orono ranked 27th overall in the country and an impressive 4th when it comes to NCAA hockey.

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Even more impressively, in the category of College Hockey Fan Engagement, Orono tied for first place alongside Lewiston, NY; Hamilton, NY; and Houghton, MI.

As for the top spot in the entire study? That goes to another New England city—Boston—our region’s largest city and the only one with an NHL team.

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And there you have it! Orono is officially one of the best cities for hockey fans in the U.S. But again, that should come as no surprise. We really do love our Black Bears!

What do you think of WalletHub’s results? Was there ever any doubt? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to join the conversation by messaging us on the app.

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Source: This Maine Town Named One of the Best for Hockey Fans in America

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