Compare towns
Bingham vs Mapleton vs Patten vs Wallagrass
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 homeowners (85.9%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Patten has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Wallagrass has the most expensive homes ($195k 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 | Bingham | Mapleton | Patten | Wallagrass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660 |
1,884Highest |
607 |
514Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME |
55.6±8.2 24% 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%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.5%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
16.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Wallagrass 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
39.5%±8.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wallagrass 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.6% ME: 36.2% |
22%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Wallagrass 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 |
$45,750±$19k 39% below ME |
$48,833±$5k 35% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $103,000±$26k 65% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME |
$194,900±$35kHighest 34% below ME |
| Wallagrass 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 |
$389±$99 66% below ME |
$932±$95Highest 18% below ME |
| Wallagrass and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059 65% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$857Lowest 72% below ME |
$1,470 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±58.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±61.8 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
28.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1955 22 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±8.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten 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 | — | — |
| 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 | 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.