Compare towns
Bingham vs Mapleton vs Beals vs Solon
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).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Solon has the most homeowners (88.6%).
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 | Mapleton | Beals | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660 |
1,884Highest |
498Lowest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
| Bingham and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Solon 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham and Beals 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
| Mapleton and Solon 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
| Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
| Solon and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Bingham and Mapleton 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Mapleton 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 79/MSAD 01 | Beals Public Schools | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.