Compare towns
Patten vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Crystal
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 people working from home (28.7%).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Crystal has the most homeowners (92.8%).
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 | Appleton | Mapleton | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154 |
1,360 |
1,884Highest |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
| Crystal and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.5%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Crystal and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,199 61% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest 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 | 23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | None 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.