Compare towns
Patten vs Unity vs Crystal 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).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Crystal has the most homeowners (92.8%).
Cherryfield has the most renters (33.2% rent).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Crystal | Cherryfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 607 |
1,858Highest |
247Lowest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±5.8 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
58.1±4.2 30% above ME |
| Crystal and Cherryfield 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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Patten and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,750±$19k 39% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$48,125±$13k 36% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
| Unity and Crystal 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$195,800±$53k 34% below ME |
| Unity and Cherryfield 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$428±$107 62% below ME |
| Crystal and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $857Lowest 72% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$943 69% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±58.6 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
26.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — | Cherryfield Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| 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.