Compare towns
Danforth vs Readfield vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Penobscot has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Danforth | Readfield | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.1±4.4 19% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Readfield and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Penobscot 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.