Compare towns
Mapleton vs Wayne 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Penobscot has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Wayne | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
| Wayne and Penobscot 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Wayne 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Wayne and Mapleton 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Wayne and Penobscot 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 |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Wayne 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | RSU 38 | 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.