Compare towns
Penobscot vs Cushing vs Lovell
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 kids (18% under 18).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Lovell has the most people working from home (21.8%).
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 | Cushing | Lovell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
1,460Highest |
1,353 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
52.2±3.5 17% above ME |
| Penobscot and Lovell 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% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Cushing 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% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6.3%±4.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lovell and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$80,625±$20k 8% above ME |
| Cushing and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58k about the ME average |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$295,000±$47kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,419±$178 25% above ME |
| Cushing and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852 39% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,480Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.3%±29.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Lovell 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% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lovell and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| 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.