Compare towns
Washburn vs Patten vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Washburn has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Strong has the most expensive homes ($184k 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.
| Measure | Washburn | Patten | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,355Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Patten and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Washburn and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Washburn and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,196±$6kHighest 25% below ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Washburn and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$183,900±$29kHighest 38% below ME |
| Strong and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $482±$62 58% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,571 48% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1971Highest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | Washburn District High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.