Compare towns

Prospect vs Patten vs Bucksport

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Patten has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Bucksport has the most expensive homes ($214k median).

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.

MeasureProspectPattenBucksport
People
Population
923
607Lowest
3,105Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.6%Highest
ME: +2.6%
—
-1.8%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.2±7.5Lowest
about the ME average
56.1±5.8Highest
25% above ME
53.6±9.8
20% above ME
Patten and Bucksport 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%±4.8
ME: 18.1%
15.9%±6.7Lowest
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%±5.6
ME: 22.4%
33.5%±10.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bucksport and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.3%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
30.6%Highest
ME: 36.2%
29.1%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.6%±1Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.6%±2.7Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.1%±1.9Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$81,250±$17kHighest
9% above ME
$45,750±$19kLowest
39% below ME
$62,011±$4k
17% below ME
Prospect and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$196,500±$19k
34% below ME
$83,000±$51kLowest
72% below ME
$214,300±$71kHighest
28% below ME
Bucksport and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,107±$61Highest
about the ME average
$389±$99Lowest
66% below ME
$855±$77
25% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,979Highest
35% below ME
$857Lowest
72% below ME
$1,801
41% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.3%±42Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56%±58.6
ME: 48.4%
58%±54Highest
ME: 48.4%
Bucksport and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.3%
ME: 10.7%
28.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
6.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.8%Highest
ME: 74.3%
72.4%
ME: 74.3%
68.8%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1998Highest
21 yrs newer than ME
1955Lowest
22 yrs older than ME
1977
same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
34% above ME
25 minLowest
about the ME average
25 min
about the ME average
Work from home
6.2%±3.3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
24.3%±24.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
9.7%±8.3
ME: 15.9%
Patten and Bucksport 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 — — #68 of 133 in ME
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.