Compare towns

Bowdoin vs Pownal

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

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.

MeasureBowdoinPownal
People
Population
3,188Highest
1,696Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+6.2%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
44.3±10Lowest
about the ME average
47.2±8.4Highest
5% above ME
Pownal and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.1%±6.2Lowest
ME: 18.1%
24.2%±4.7Highest
ME: 18.1%
Pownal and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.1%±4.7Lowest
ME: 22.4%
23.5%±2.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
30.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
49%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.5%±2.2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
4.2%±1.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
Pownal and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,239±$13kLowest
22% above ME
$104,333±$14kHighest
40% above ME
Pownal and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$292,800±$71kLowest
about the ME average
$436,800±$32kHighest
47% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$981±$636
14% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,375Lowest
11% above ME
$5,212Highest
72% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±42.3Lowest
ME: 48.4%
78.9%±22.5Highest
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
11%Highest
ME: 10.7%
5.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.7%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
89.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
1971Lowest
6 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 minHighest
29% above ME
30 minLowest
22% above ME
Work from home
11.7%±7Lowest
ME: 15.9%
23.9%±5.4Highest
ME: 15.9%
Pownal and Bowdoin 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 #28 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 75/MSAD 75 RSU 05
High school in town None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.