Compare towns
Mapleton vs Palermo vs Penobscot vs Chapman
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 renters (20.1% rent).
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Palermo | Penobscot | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,473 |
1,154 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Chapman 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 ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Penobscot and Palermo 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 |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
— |
| Palermo and Penobscot 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 |
$2,506Highest 17% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 12 | Penobscot Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.