Compare towns
Bingham vs Mapleton vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Bingham | Mapleton | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 660Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
| Bingham and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.