Compare towns
Penobscot vs Castine
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 oldest population (median age 53.4).
Castine has the most expensive homes ($604k median).
Castine is a college town. 47.7% 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 | Penobscot | Castine |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
1,362Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Castine 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% |
19.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$113,750±$26kHighest 52% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
$603,500±$114kHighest 103% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$1,105±$104Lowest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Castine 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 |
$4,250Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
60.3%±56Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Castine 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% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
14 minLowest 42% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±10.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Castine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | Castine Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.