Compare towns
Mapleton vs Unity 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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Penobscot has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,858 |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% 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%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.