Compare towns

Mount Chase vs Patten vs Starks

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 kids (22.1% under 18).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Starks has the highest household income ($64k).

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.

MeasureMount ChasePattenStarks
People
Population
280Lowest
1,154Highest
556
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-13.4%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
-7.3%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
49.9±10.9
11% above ME
57.8±3.5Highest
29% above ME
46.7±9.4Lowest
4% 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%
11.3%±2.9Lowest
ME: 18.1%
16.4%±4.4
ME: 18.1%
Mount Chase and Starks 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%
38.5%±3.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
20.3%±2.2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
32.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
25.1%
ME: 36.2%
21%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.9%±5.7Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.1%±1.1
ME: 5.8%
0.9%±2.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Mount Chase and Patten 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
$51,484±$6k
31% below ME
$63,500±$8kHighest
15% below ME
Starks and Patten 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
$127,600±$49k
57% below ME
$148,500±$27kHighest
50% below ME
Starks and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,281±$1kHighest
12% above ME
$389±$99Lowest
66% below ME
$1,063±$301
7% below ME
Mount Chase and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,548Highest
49% below ME
$1,199Lowest
61% below ME
$1,348
56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
28.6%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56%±64.1Highest
ME: 48.4%
45.5%±90.3
ME: 48.4%
Patten and Starks 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%
23.2%
ME: 10.7%
19.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.5%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
90%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
1966Lowest
11 yrs older than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
9% above ME
28 min
13% above ME
33 minHighest
33% above ME
Work from home
22.2%±12.8
ME: 15.9%
28.7%±19.4Highest
ME: 15.9%
3.3%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Patten and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.