Compare towns
Byron vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Byron has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Penobscot has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Byron | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 174Lowest |
1,154Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -10.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.9±12.3Highest 31% above ME |
53.4±5.7Lowest 19% above ME |
| Byron and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 1.1%±16.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Byron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±13.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Byron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±8.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Penobscot and Byron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $90,417±$53kHighest 21% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Byron and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $122,700±$61kLowest 59% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,301Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 43 minHighest 74% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.1%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Byron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| School district | — | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.