Compare towns
Cherryfield vs Patten vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cherryfield has the most expensive homes ($196k median).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Columbia has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Cherryfield | Patten | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 809 |
1,154Highest |
529Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
41.9±6.4Lowest 6% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 32.4%±9.6 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Patten and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$56,667±$15kHighest 24% below ME |
| Columbia and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$158,700±$19k 46% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $428±$107 62% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$894±$162Highest 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,226 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Columbia and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
23.2% ME: 10.7% |
13.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±10.4 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cherryfield Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.