Compare towns
Island Falls vs Springfield vs Crystal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Island Falls has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Springfield has the most people working from home (9.6%).
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
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 | Island Falls | Springfield | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 768Highest |
310 |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.4% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 50.7±10.6Lowest 13% above ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
| Crystal and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Island Falls and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
17.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7 ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Island Falls and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,328±$8k 25% below ME |
$60,833±$23kHighest 19% below ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
| Springfield and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $108,300±$25kLowest 63% below ME |
$122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
$129,200±$60kHighest 56% below ME |
| Crystal and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $636±$124Lowest 44% below ME |
— | $1,563±$922Highest 37% above 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 | $1,720Highest 43% below ME |
$1,067 65% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.9%±51.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
— | 14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Island Falls and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Springfield and Island Falls 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.