Compare towns
Patten vs Brooks 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%).
Brooks has the most expensive homes ($197k median).
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 | Brooks | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154 |
1,208Highest |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks 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% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$59,130±$10kHighest 21% below ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
| Brooks 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±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
| Brooks and Crystal 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 |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Crystal and Brooks 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 |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Brooks 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% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| 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.