Compare towns
Patten vs Solon 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%).
Solon has the most expensive homes ($184k 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 | Solon | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Highest |
963 |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Solon 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% |
23.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Solon 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 |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
| Solon and Patten 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 |
$183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
| Solon 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 |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Crystal and Solon 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 |
$1,854Highest 39% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Solon 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% |
10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | — |
| 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.