What stands out worked out from the figures below

Moose River has the most kids (32.3% under 18).

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	Moose River	Patten
People
Population	248Lowest	1,154Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-13.4% ME: +2.6%
Median age	32.9±8.2Lowest 27% below ME	57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME
Kids under 18	32.3%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1%	11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	8.5%±10.4Lowest ME: 22.4%	38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	25.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8%	1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Moose River and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,324±$9kHighest about the ME average	$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$144,900±$31kHighest 51% below ME	$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME
	Moose River 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	$928Lowest 69% below ME	$1,199Highest 61% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Patten and Moose River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.9%Lowest ME: 10.7%	23.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.3%Highest ME: 74.3%	82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME	1966Highest 11 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	15 minLowest 39% below ME	28 minHighest 13% above ME
Work from home	4.5%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Patten and Moose River 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.