Compare towns
Bingham vs Dresden vs Patten
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Dresden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
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 | Bingham | Dresden | Patten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 660Lowest |
1,645Highest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
55.1±7.9Lowest 23% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Patten and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Patten and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dresden and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
| Dresden and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$240,100±$29kHighest 19% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$389±$99 66% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,500Highest 18% below ME |
$1,199 61% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | RSU 02 | — |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3 |
— | — |
| 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.