Compare towns

Mount Chase vs Sidney vs Patten

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).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k 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.

MeasureMount ChaseSidneyPatten
People
Population
280Lowest
4,790Highest
1,154
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+10.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-13.4%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
49.9±10.9
11% above ME
43±5.5Lowest
4% below ME
57.8±3.5Highest
29% 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%±10.6
ME: 18.1%
23.1%±5.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
11.3%±2.9Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Sidney and Mount Chase 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%
18.4%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
38.5%±3.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
32.1%
ME: 36.2%
33.5%Highest
ME: 36.2%
25.1%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.9%±5.7Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.5%±1.2
ME: 5.8%
1.1%±1.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Mount Chase and Sidney 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
$83,488±$10kHighest
12% above ME
$51,484±$6k
31% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$115,700±$15kLowest
61% below ME
$336,200±$34kHighest
13% above ME
$127,600±$49k
57% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,281±$1k
12% above ME
$1,340±$304Highest
18% above ME
$389±$99Lowest
66% below ME
Sidney and Mount Chase 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
$2,474Highest
19% below ME
$1,199Lowest
61% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
28.6%±100
ME: 48.4%
16.4%±17.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56%±64.1Highest
ME: 48.4%
Patten and Mount Chase 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%
6.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
23.2%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90%Highest
ME: 74.3%
89.4%
ME: 74.3%
82.5%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
1996Highest
19 yrs newer than ME
1966Lowest
11 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
9% above ME
25 minLowest
about the ME average
28 minHighest
13% above ME
Work from home
22.2%±12.8
ME: 15.9%
14.3%±5.9Lowest
ME: 15.9%
28.7%±19.4Highest
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
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #15 of 133 in ME —
School district — RSU 18 —
High school in town — None in town —
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.