Compare towns
Crystal vs Mapleton vs Topsfield vs Patten
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Crystal has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Topsfield has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
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 | Crystal | Mapleton | Topsfield | Patten |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 247 |
1,884Highest |
214Lowest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 63.2±8.4 41% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
63.5±4.9Highest 42% above ME |
57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
| Topsfield and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.1%±10.4 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.9%±12.5 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Crystal and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$48,125±$16kLowest 36% below ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$141,700±$32k 52% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
| Mapleton and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
— | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
| Crystal and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$957 68% below ME |
$1,199 61% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
— | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.1% ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 10% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | East Range CSD | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.