Compare towns
Penobscot vs Mapleton vs Dresden 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 most people working from home (17.7%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Dresden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Dresden | Castine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,645 |
1,362 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below 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%±6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest 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+ | 32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Dresden 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$74,844±$22k about the ME average |
$113,750±$26kHighest 52% above ME |
| Castine and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$240,100±$29k 19% below ME |
$603,500±$114kHighest 103% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$1,105±$104 about the ME average |
| Dresden and Penobscot 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
$4,250Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.3%±56 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
14.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
14 minLowest 42% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±10.6 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 02 | Castine Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.