Compare towns
Howland vs Brownville vs Lagrange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Howland has the most expensive homes ($150k median).
Brownville has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Lagrange has the most people working from home (8.1%).
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 | Howland | Brownville | Lagrange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,367Highest |
983 |
709Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±10.2Highest 6% above ME |
46.5±4.6 4% above ME |
45.9±13.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Howland and Brownville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
19%±6.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
28.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brownville and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12% ME: 36.2% |
13.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±3.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brownville and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,297±$21kLowest 34% below ME |
$64,063±$15kHighest 14% below ME |
$58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
| Brownville and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,100±$52kHighest 49% below ME |
$96,700±$22kLowest 67% below ME |
$126,000±$33k 58% below ME |
| Howland and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$246 20% below ME |
$1,057±$120Highest 7% below ME |
$831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
| Brownville and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,546Highest 49% below ME |
$1,250 59% below ME |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±18.2 ME: 48.4% |
26.2%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 7 yrs older than ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
37 minHighest 49% above ME |
36 min 45% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.8%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lagrange and Brownville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 31/MSAD 31 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | — |
| High school in town | Penobscot Valley High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— | — |
| 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.