Compare towns
Patten vs Union vs Franklin
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%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Franklin has the most renters (23.2% rent).
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 | Union | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Patten and Franklin 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Franklin and Union 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Union and Franklin 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 |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Union and Franklin 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 |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Union and Franklin 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Franklin 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| 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.