What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hersey has the most expensive homes ($163k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hersey	Patten
People
Population	47Lowest	1,154Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-13.4% ME: +2.6%
Median age	60.5±3.2Highest 35% above ME	57.8±3.5Lowest 29% above ME
	Hersey and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	8.5%±58Lowest ME: 18.1%	11.3%±2.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	34%±54.5Lowest ME: 22.4%	38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	25.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±33.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	1.1%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$31,250±$26kLowest 58% below ME	$51,484±$6kHighest 31% below ME
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$162,500±$113kHighest 45% below ME	$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME
	Hersey and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$389±$99 66% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,417Highest 20% below ME	$1,199Lowest 61% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	21.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	23.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	82.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	2004Highest 27 yrs newer than ME	1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	28 minHighest 13% above ME
Work from home	5.9%±23.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Patten and Hersey 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

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.