Compare towns
Mount Chase vs Appleton vs Patten vs Charlotte
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Chase has the most affordable homes ($116k median).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Charlotte has the highest household income ($68k).
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 | Mount Chase | Appleton | Patten | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 280Lowest |
1,360Highest |
1,154 |
377 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
48.6±3.1Lowest 8% above ME |
| Patten and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±10.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase and Charlotte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±7.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Charlotte and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$67,813±$18kHighest 9% below ME |
| Charlotte and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$140,800±$30k 53% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
— |
| Mount Chase and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,548 49% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,000 34% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Appleton and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2% ME: 10.7% |
22.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
98.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.2%±12.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.