Compare towns
Patten vs Appleton vs Mount Chase 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).
Mount Chase has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
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 | Mount Chase | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154 |
1,360Highest |
280 |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above 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% |
22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase 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%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Mount Chase 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±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$48,125±$13k 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,281±$1k 12% above ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Crystal and Mount Chase 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 |
$1,548 49% 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% |
28.6%±100 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90% 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 |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest 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 | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.