Compare towns
Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Windsor vs Pittston
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 affordable homes ($192k median).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Windsor has the most homeowners (89.1%).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Windsor | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,154Lowest |
2,690 |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
43.5±8 about the ME average |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Penobscot and Windsor 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%±6 ME: 18.1% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston 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 23% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$63,178±$5kLowest 15% below ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Penobscot and Pittston 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 |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$1,265±$400Highest 11% above ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Windsor 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 |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$2,160Highest 29% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Pittston 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | — | #44 of 133 in ME | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 12 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None 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.