Compare towns
Troy vs Penobscot vs Phillips
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Penobscot has the highest household income ($63k).
Phillips has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Troy | Penobscot | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 984Lowest |
1,154Highest |
1,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±13.6Lowest 10% above ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
| Penobscot and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 27%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Troy and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$63,194±$14kHighest 15% below ME |
$45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
| Penobscot and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$190,800±$18kLowest 36% below ME |
| Penobscot and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Troy and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 50 minHighest 102% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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.