What stands out worked out from the figures below

Prospect has the most expensive homes ($197k median).

Patten has the most people working from home (24.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Prospect	Patten
People
Population	923Highest	607Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.6% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average	56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME
	Patten and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1%	16.5%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Prospect and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4%	32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	30.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±1 ME: 5.8%	1.6%±2.7 ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME	$45,750±$19kLowest 39% below ME
	Prospect and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME	$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average	$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,979Highest 35% below ME	$857Lowest 72% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4%	56%±58.6Highest ME: 48.4%
	Patten and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	28.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	72.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME	1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 34% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Patten and Prospect 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

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.