Compare towns

Patten vs Springfield 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%).
Springfield has the highest household income ($61k).
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.

MeasurePattenSpringfieldCrystal
People
Population
1,154Highest
310
247Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-13.4%
ME: +2.6%
— —
Median age
57.8±3.5
29% above ME
52.4±7Lowest
17% above 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%
18.1%±5.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
16.2%±11.8
ME: 18.1%
Springfield 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%
21.6%±5.4Lowest
ME: 22.4%
49%±5.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
25.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
17.3%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
22.9%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.1%±1.1Highest
ME: 5.8%
0.6%±3.7
ME: 5.8%
0%±6.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Patten and Springfield 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
$60,833±$23kHighest
19% below ME
$48,125±$13kLowest
36% below ME
Springfield 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±$49k
57% below ME
$122,500±$28kLowest
59% below ME
$129,200±$60kHighest
56% below ME
Crystal and Patten 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
—
$1,563±$922Highest
37% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,199Highest
61% below ME
$1,067
65% below ME
$943Lowest
69% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56%±64.1Highest
ME: 48.4%
—
14.3%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Patten and Crystal 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%
5.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
14.7%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.5%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
96.2%Highest
ME: 74.3%
92.8%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966Lowest
11 yrs older than ME
1987Highest
10 yrs newer than ME
1974
3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
13% above ME
30 minHighest
21% above ME
27 minLowest
10% above ME
Work from home
28.7%±19.4Highest
ME: 15.9%
9.6%±5.2
ME: 15.9%
0%±15.1Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Patten and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.