Compare towns
Harmony vs Patten vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harmony has the most expensive homes ($203k median).
Patten has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Athens has the most kids (21.7% 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 | Harmony | Patten | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 974Highest |
607Lowest |
791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -6.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±2.5 18% above ME |
56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME |
47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
| Patten and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.5%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,063±$13kHighest 28% below ME |
$45,750±$19kLowest 39% below ME |
$50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
| Harmony and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $202,700±$58kHighest 32% below ME |
$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME |
$153,100±$33k 48% below ME |
| Harmony and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$538±$457Highest 53% below ME |
| Athens and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449Highest 52% below ME |
$857Lowest 72% below ME |
$1,355 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±58.6 ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
28.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
23.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.8%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Harmony Public Schools | — | Athens Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.