Compare towns
Cornville vs Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
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 | Cornville | Mapleton | Penobscot | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,419 |
1,884Highest |
1,154 |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.1±7.4 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
| Penobscot and Cornville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,926±$18k 7% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cornville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $167,400±$14k 44% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,366±$181Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,808 40% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 15.2%±31.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1 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 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools | Athens Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.