Compare towns
Mapleton vs Crystal 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 highest household income ($92k).
Crystal has the most affordable homes ($129k median).
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 | Mapleton | Crystal | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
247Lowest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
| Crystal and Penobscot 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% |
16.2%±11.8Lowest 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% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below 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 | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$129,200±$60kLowest 56% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Crystal and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Mapleton 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% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest 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.