Compare towns
Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Strong
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 expensive homes ($296k median).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Penobscot and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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±$14k 15% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% 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 |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Penobscot and Strong 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 |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Strong 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.