Compare towns
Patten vs Willimantic 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%).
Willimantic has the most kids (36.5% under 18).
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 | Willimantic | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Highest |
200Lowest |
247 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
38.5±11.9Lowest 14% below 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% |
36.5%±11.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Willimantic 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% |
25.5%±16.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4%±6.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Willimantic 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 |
$63,472±$52kHighest 15% below ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
| Willimantic 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 |
$131,700±$21kHighest 56% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
| Willimantic 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 |
— | $1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,199 61% below ME |
$1,285Highest 58% 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% ME: 10.7% |
32.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.