Compare towns
Patten vs Sidney 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%).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
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 | Sidney | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154 |
4,790Highest |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Sidney and Patten 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 |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Crystal and Sidney 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 |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Sidney 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 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% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | — |
| 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.