Compare towns
Patten vs Windham vs Machiasport
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%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Machiasport has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Windham | Machiasport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154 |
19,188Highest |
1,016Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-14%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
52.8±9.1 18% above ME |
| Patten and Machiasport 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Machiasport and Windham 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$60,000±$12k 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$177,100±$70k 40% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,053±$102 8% below ME |
| Windham and Machiasport 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,696 44% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Machiasport 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1972 5 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | Machiasport Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.