Compare towns
Madison 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
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Penobscot has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
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 | Madison | Mapleton | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,782Highest |
1,884 |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,747±$11kLowest 17% 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 | $187,600±$40kLowest 37% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247 20% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.