Compare towns
Penobscot vs Mapleton vs Surry 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Mapleton | Surry | Lovell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,836 |
1,353 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
52.2±3.5 17% above ME |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest 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% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
6.3%±4.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lovell and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$80,625±$20k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton 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±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$295,000±$47k about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Surry 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,419±$178Highest 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852 39% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,903Highest 37% below ME |
$1,480Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.3%±29.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
21.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lovell and Penobscot 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 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| 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.