Compare towns
Bingham vs Embden vs Sumner
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).
Embden has the most expensive homes ($173k median).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Embden | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 660Lowest |
995Highest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2Lowest 25% above ME |
60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
56.1±8.4 25% above ME |
| Embden and Sumner 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% |
13.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
34.6%±9.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham and Embden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Bingham and Sumner 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 |
$56,875±$23k 24% below ME |
$57,750±$19kHighest 23% below ME |
| Sumner and Embden 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 |
$173,400±$59kHighest 42% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Embden and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $354±$264 69% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,804 41% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.2% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.7%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Embden and Sumner 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 10 |
| 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.