Population 351 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Penobscot
Household size in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.03 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.02 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.11 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.12 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in West Penobscot are small: just 2.12 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.5 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 57.4 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 58.3 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 56.8 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
West Penobscot skews older: half of its residents are older than 56.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in West Penobscot: 5.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.5 points, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in West Penobscot
Renters in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
West Penobscot is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than half of owners (55.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3% | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.6% | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.9% | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in West Penobscot: 26.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +16 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in West Penobscot is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $923 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $703 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $784 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,252 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$329 | +$464 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Penobscot costs $1,252 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. That is in line with the rest of Maine. The typical renter here spends 32.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in West Penobscot
Bachelor's degrees in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.8% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.5% | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in West Penobscot than nationally: 31.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.0% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.9% | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in West Penobscot: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in West Penobscot
| Period | West Penobscot | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in West Penobscot has been strong: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Maine as a whole looks much the same. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
West Penobscot compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Penobscot | 2.12 | 56.8 | 5.7% | 14.0% | 26.9% | 1986 | $1,252 | 31.5% | 97.2% | 3.3% |
| Castine | 2.22 | 21.2 | 4.3% | 19.6% | 51.1% | 1974 | $1,105 | 74.5% | 99.8% | 2.7% |
| Stockton Springs | 2.20 | 48.5 | 8.0% | 16.7% | 14.5% | 1988 | $1,375 | 26.8% | 96.2% | 5.7% |
| West Brooksville | 1.91 | 61.2 | 3.1% | 14.8% | 52.1% | 1982 | $1,306 | 52.7% | 96.5% | 4.7% |
| South Penobscot | 2.17 | 53.4 | 10.8% | 15.8% | 32.4% | 1979 | $1,137 | 32.2% | 97.2% | 4.3% |
| Verona Island | 2.05 | 48.9 | 8.5% | 2.6% | 21.1% | 1949 | $1,132 | 35.3% | 96.1% | 1.9% |
| Searsport | 2.28 | 47.0 | 8.3% | 29.2% | 20.6% | 1980 | $1,154 | 32.7% | 95.3% | 3.2% |
| Penobscot | 2.17 | 52.5 | 10.6% | 15.5% | 31.8% | 1980 | $1,126 | 33.0% | 96.6% | 4.1% |
| Harborside | 1.91 | 60.6 | 4.3% | 13.5% | 52.2% | 1981 | $1,240 | 51.7% | 96.5% | 6.5% |
| Brooksville | 1.91 | 61.4 | 3.1% | 14.8% | 52.0% | 1982 | $1,306 | 52.6% | 96.5% | 4.7% |
| Prospect Ferry | 2.40 | 47.0 | 11.3% | 11.4% | 3.3% | 1997 | $1,137 | 23.4% | 92.1% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Halliday, AR · Williamsburg, MT · Hightogy, AL · Highland Park, WV · Hico, LA · Hickory Plains, AR · Henning, IL · Heffron, WI · Hazel Hurst, PA · Hayward, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up West Penobscot. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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