Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bath vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
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 | Mapleton | Bath | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
8,815Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest 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+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Bath and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Penobscot 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| 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.