Compare towns
Howland vs Embden vs Howland
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 kids (22% under 18).
Embden has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Howland has the most renters (24.1% rent).
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 | Embden | Howland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,367Highest |
995Lowest |
1,235 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±10.2Lowest 6% above ME |
60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
47.9±11.5 7% above ME |
| Embden and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Howland and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.6%±9.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Embden 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Howland 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 |
$56,875±$23kHighest 24% below ME |
$53,250±$25k 29% below ME |
| Embden and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,100±$52kLowest 49% below ME |
$173,400±$59kHighest 42% below ME |
$152,100±$34k 49% below ME |
| Embden and Howland 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 |
— | $916±$246 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,546Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,804Highest 41% below ME |
$1,557 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±18.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29%±18.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 25.2% ME: 10.7% |
12.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
28%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% ME: 74.3% |
96.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 7 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.7%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 31/MSAD 31 | — | — |
| High school in town | Penobscot Valley High School | — | — |
| 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.

