Compare towns
Mapleton vs Somerville vs Penobscot
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).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Somerville | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
837Lowest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Mapleton 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% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville 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% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Somerville 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 |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Somerville 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 |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Somerville 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 |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Somerville 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% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest 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 | RSU 12 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| 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.