Compare towns
Patten vs Sidney vs Union
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
4,790Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Union 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Union 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.