Compare towns
Bingham vs Monroe 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).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Monroe | Patten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 660Lowest |
1,001 |
1,154Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe 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% |
22.6%±4.5Lowest 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% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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 |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
| Monroe 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 |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$389±$99 66% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$1,199 61% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Monroe 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% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Monroe 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 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| 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.