Compare towns
Penobscot vs Somerville
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%).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Somerville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,154Highest |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville 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% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Somerville and Penobscot 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 |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
| Penobscot and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,505Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 16%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.