Compare towns
Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Peru
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).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k 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 | Penobscot | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,501 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
| Penobscot and Peru 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% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Peru 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% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Peru 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 |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
| Mapleton and Peru 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 |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
$1,799 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Peru 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Lowest 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 | RSU 56 |
| 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 |
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.