Compare towns
Lovell vs Windham vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lovell has the most people working from home (21.8%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Lovell | Windham | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,353 |
19,188Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.2±3.5 17% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±4.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lovell and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,625±$20k 8% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Windham and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$47kLowest about the ME average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,419±$178Highest 25% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
| Lovell and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,480Lowest 51% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±29.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 28% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 21.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lovell and Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | RSU 14 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.