Compare towns
Patten vs Phillips vs Strong 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Strong has the youngest population (median age 47.5).
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 | Strong | Mount Chase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154 |
1,094 |
1,249Highest |
280Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
| Patten and Mount Chase 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% |
19.5%±3.5 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%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 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 |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
| Patten and Strong 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
| Phillips and Strong 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
| Mount Chase and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,950 36% 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% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest 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% |
13.9%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% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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.