Compare towns
Crystal vs Patten vs Springfield
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 oldest population (median age 63.2).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Springfield has the highest household income ($61k).
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 | Patten | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 247Lowest |
1,154Highest |
310 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.4% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
52.4±7Lowest 17% above ME |
| Crystal and Patten 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% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Springfield 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% |
38.5%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Patten and Springfield 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 |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$60,833±$23kHighest 19% below ME |
| Springfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $129,200±$60kHighest 56% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
| Crystal and Patten 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 |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,199Highest 61% below ME |
$1,067 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Patten and Crystal 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 10% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Springfield 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 | 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.

