Compare towns
Etna vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Etna | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,252Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Penobscot and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kHighest 3% below ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Etna and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Etna 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.