Compare towns
Patten vs Starks vs Cherryfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Patten has the most affordable homes ($83k median).
Starks has the highest household income ($64k).
Cherryfield has the most expensive homes ($196k median).
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 | Patten | Starks | Cherryfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 607 |
556Lowest |
809Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±5.8 25% above ME |
46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Patten and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Patten and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cherryfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,750±$19k 39% below ME |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% 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 | $83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$428±$107 62% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $857Lowest 72% below ME |
$1,348 56% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±58.6 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cherryfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 28.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
26.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Cherryfield Public Schools |
| 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.