The Town FilesPenobscot, Maine
Town in Hancock County · population 1,136 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $296,400
- Household income
- $63,194
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 73 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 53.4
Penobscot is a town of 1,136 people in Hancock County, Maine. The median home is worth $296,400, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Maine towns, better for retirees than 98% of Maine towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Maine towns.
How Penobscot ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Penobscot is worth $296,400, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $63,194, which is more affordable than 17% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,141 a month. 84.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Penobscot | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $296,400 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,141 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $63,194 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 84.2% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.2% | — |
Who lives in Penobscot
| People | Penobscot | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.0% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.4% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.0% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 17.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in Penobscot
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 10.6°F. About 49.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 72.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Penobscot since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 16, 2021.
Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996
Hancock County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Hancock County
Hancock County had 23,631 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,780 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Penobscot itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Penobscot
1 public school with 67 students, about 7.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penobscot Elementary School | PK-8 | 67 | 7.4 |
Towns near Penobscot
- Verona Island, ME5.2 mi · 507 people · home $243,600
- Orland, ME6.7 mi · 2,221 people · home $277,100
- Stockton Springs, ME6.9 mi · 1,533 people · home $259,100
- Castine, ME7.4 mi · 1,320 people · home $603,500
- Castine, ME7.9 mi · 1,014 people · home $798,800
- Blue Hill, ME8.5 mi · 963 people · home $384,800
- Bucksport, ME8.6 mi · 2,832 people · home $214,300
- Brooksville, ME9.5 mi · 935 people · home $390,900
Penobscot questions
Is Penobscot, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penobscot scores better for retirees than 98% of Maine towns and quieter than 14%. 32.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Penobscot?
The median owner-occupied home in Penobscot is valued at $296,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,194, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $1,141 a month.
What is the weather like in Penobscot?
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 10.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.4 inches of precipitation a year and 72.5 inches of snow.
Does Penobscot get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Penobscot in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)