Compare towns
Ashland vs Crystal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most people working from home (4.7%).
Crystal has the most homeowners (92.8%).
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 | Ashland | Crystal |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,080Highest |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1Lowest 19% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
| Crystal and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Crystal and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 32.2%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ashland and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $46,838±$15kLowest 37% below ME |
$48,125±$13kHighest 36% below ME |
| Crystal and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
$129,200±$60kHighest 56% below ME |
| Crystal and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,563±$922 37% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511Highest 50% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ashland and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 23.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ashland and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| 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.