Compare towns
Patten vs Unity vs Mount Chase
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%).
Unity has the most expensive homes ($207k median).
Mount Chase has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Mount Chase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154 |
1,858Highest |
280Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
| Patten and Mount Chase 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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase and Unity 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
| Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
| Mount Chase and Unity 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,548 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.