Compare towns
Mapleton vs Gorham vs Penobscot vs Washburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Gorham has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k 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 | Mapleton | Gorham | Penobscot | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,682Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
53.4±5.7 37% above U.S. |
48.2±7.7 24% above U.S. |
| Gorham 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 U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
32%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Penobscot and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
26% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham 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 14% above U.S. |
$61,275±$7k 24% below U.S. |
$63,194±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$56,196±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| 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 42% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49k 51% below U.S. |
$296,400±$58kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$112,900±$14kLowest 66% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 57% below U.S. |
$838±$83 41% below U.S. |
$1,141±$33Highest 19% below U.S. |
$482±$62Lowest 66% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 43% below U.S. |
$4,334Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,852 41% below U.S. |
$1,571Lowest 50% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±24.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Penobscot and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±13.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Penobscot and Mapleton 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 | — | #57 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.