Compare towns
Byron vs Penobscot vs Maxfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering ByronRoxbury
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Byron has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Maxfield has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Maxfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 174 |
1,154Highest |
76Lowest |
| 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 |
54.5±5 22% above ME |
| Byron and Maxfield 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% |
7.9%±39.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Maxfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±13.8 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.2%±44.7Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
8.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±8.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±14.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Maxfield and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,417±$53k 21% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$92,500±$48kHighest 24% above ME |
| Maxfield and Byron 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 |
$164,600±$35k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,301Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$2,333Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 14.9% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
100%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1999Highest 22 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 43 min 74% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
56 minHighest 129% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.1%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±39.3Lowest 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 | 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.