What stands out worked out from the figures below

Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).

Hersey has the most expensive homes ($163k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Patten	Hersey
People
Population	1,154Highest	47Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-13.4% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	57.8±3.5Lowest 29% above ME	60.5±3.2Highest 35% above ME
	Hersey and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.3%±2.9Highest ME: 18.1%	8.5%±58Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%	34%±54.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.1%Highest ME: 36.2%	20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.1%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	0%±33.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$51,484±$6kHighest 31% below ME	$31,250±$26kLowest 58% below ME
	Patten and Hersey 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	$162,500±$113kHighest 45% below ME
	Hersey and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$389±$99 66% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,199Lowest 61% below ME	$2,417Highest 20% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Patten and Hersey 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%	21.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	65.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME	2004Highest 27 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 13% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9%	5.9%±23.3Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Patten and Hersey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.