Compare towns
Penobscot vs Appleton vs Dresden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Dresden has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Penobscot | Appleton | Dresden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
1,360 |
1,645Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
| Dresden and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
| Dresden and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$240,100±$29k 19% below ME |
| Penobscot and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
| Dresden and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.