Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,245, incorporated in 1820.
Etna’s best subject grade is an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D for health. On health, just 18 of Maine’s 285 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 73% of U.S. towns. Only 27 of Maine’s 285 towns score higher on cost of living. On history, just 26 of Maine’s 285 towns do worse. Etna has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Etna beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Etna is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 194 in 1820, a low of 194 in 1820, 1,226 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and 3 maps from 1935 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Etna, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Etna.
41% of adults have obesity in Etna, above both Maine’s towns (33%) and U.S. towns (35%). 30% of Etna adults have been diagnosed with depression. Etna beats the Maine average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19.
| Etna | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 23% |
| What stands out | Etna | ME |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.3% | 14.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 14.9% | 10.7% |
| More smokers | 20% | 14.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Etna home is worth about $267,000, down 0.7% in a year, 35% below the Maine typical home. 95% of households own their home in Etna, above both the Maine town median (81%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Etna for work: only 5% work in town. 16% of residents live below the poverty line in Etna. Jobs based in Etna grew to 200 in 2023, 58 more than in 2013.
| Etna | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 9% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 78% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Etna has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Etna is 79°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
8.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Penobscot County Conservation Association Wildlife Management Area | — | 1 |
| 2. Etna Memorial Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Etna; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Etna residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Maine.
Where Etna’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Maine, United States
Etna is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,226 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.