Compare towns
Crystal vs Phillips vs Island Falls
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).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Island Falls has the highest household income ($56k).
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 | Phillips | Island Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 247Lowest |
1,094Highest |
768 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-9.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
49.7±3.7Lowest 11% above ME |
50.7±10.6 13% above ME |
| Crystal and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±11.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
12.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$13k 36% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$56,328±$8kHighest 25% below ME |
| Island Falls and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$190,800±$18kHighest 36% below ME |
$108,300±$25kLowest 63% below ME |
| Phillips and Crystal 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 |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$636±$124 44% below ME |
| Crystal and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $943Lowest 69% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,720 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.9%±51.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
20.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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.