Compare towns
Barton vs Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Wells River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Penobscot has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barton | Mapleton | Penobscot | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730 |
1,884Highest |
1,154 |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
53.4±5.7Highest 37% above U.S. |
42.7±12.7 10% above U.S. |
| Penobscot and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
18%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
32%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8k 49% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$63,194±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$296,400±$58kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$170,800±$103k 49% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150 46% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,141±$33Highest 19% below U.S. |
$900±$336 36% below U.S. |
| Penobscot and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185 about the U.S. average |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$1,852 41% below U.S. |
$4,154Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Penobscot and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
38.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±13.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Penobscot and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.