What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-6.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bingham	Patten
People
Population	660Lowest	1,154Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.1%Highest ME: +2.6%	-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	56±8.2Lowest 25% above ME	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%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1%	11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bingham and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.3%±4Lowest 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%	25.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%	1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Bingham and Patten 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	$51,484±$6kHighest 31% below ME
	Patten and Bingham 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	$127,600±$49kHighest 57% below ME
	Patten and Bingham 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	$389±$99Highest 66% below ME
	Patten and Bingham 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	$1,199Highest 61% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4%	56%±64.1Highest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7%	23.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME	1966Highest 11 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 min 13% above ME	28 min 13% above ME
Work from home	8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9%	28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Patten and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 83/MSAD 13	—
High school in town	Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	7.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.