Compare towns
Patten vs Phillips vs Crystal vs Mount Chase
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%).
Phillips has the most expensive homes ($191k median).
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
Mount Chase has the most affordable homes ($116k 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.
| Measure | Patten | Phillips | Crystal | Mount Chase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154Highest |
1,094 |
247Lowest |
280 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
49.7±3.7Lowest 11% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
49.9±10.9 11% 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% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase and Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips 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±$6kHighest 31% below ME |
$45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
$48,125±$13k 36% below ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
| Patten and Crystal 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 |
$190,800±$18kHighest 36% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
| Phillips 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 |
$483±$377 58% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$1,281±$1k 12% 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 |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,548 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Phillips 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% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8 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 | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — | — |
| 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.