Compare towns
Benton vs Springfield vs Albion
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Albion has the most people working from home (15.7%).
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 | Benton | Springfield | Albion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,770Highest |
310Lowest |
2,204 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -1.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
52.9±7.5Highest 18% above ME |
| Albion and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
12.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.8%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Albion and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Benton and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME |
$62,361±$23kHighest 17% below ME |
| Albion and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
$230,900±$31kHighest 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758 42% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,987Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
— | 46.2%±23.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
34 minHighest 36% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.7%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Albion and Springfield 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | — | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.