Compare towns
Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Winthrop
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 oldest population (median age 53.4).
Winthrop has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
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 | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,154Lowest |
6,191Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Winthrop 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%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop 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% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Winthrop 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 |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Winthrop 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 |
$294,800±$41k about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Winthrop 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±$33Highest about the ME average |
$892±$319 22% below ME |
| Penobscot and Winthrop 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 |
$3,506Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Winthrop 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% |
12.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Penobscot 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 | — | — | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.