Compare towns
Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,154 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Penobscot and Starks 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%±6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest 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% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks 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 |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Penobscot and Starks 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 |
$1,852Highest 39% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Starks 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% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±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 | — |
| 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.