Compare towns
Ludlow vs Mapleton vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Ludlow | Mapleton | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 444Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.