Compare towns
Bingham vs Mapleton vs Patten vs Brighton plantation
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 most kids (22.2% under 18).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Brighton plantation has the most renters (40.6% rent).
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 | Brighton plantation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660 |
1,884Highest |
1,154 |
98Lowest |
| 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 |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
45.8±46.2 about the ME average |
| 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
9.2%±32.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±27.5 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
10%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
0%±15.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$73,750±$50k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Brighton plantation 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±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
— |
| Mapleton and Patten 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±$277Highest 46% below ME |
$389±$99 66% below ME |
— |
| Mapleton and Patten 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 |
$1,199 61% below ME |
$4,500Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brighton plantation and Patten 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2% ME: 10.7% |
37.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
59.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
— |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±22.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Brighton plantation 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.