Compare towns
Bingham vs Patten vs Sidney vs Addison
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).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Patten | Sidney | Addison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660Lowest |
1,154 |
4,790Highest |
1,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
54.2±3.9 21% 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% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Addison 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.4 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% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Bingham and Addison 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±$6k 31% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$50,524±$8k 32% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$163,500±$28k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$389±$99 66% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$900±$807 21% below ME |
| Sidney and Addison 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 |
$1,199 61% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$1,625 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60%±47.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Addison 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | — | RSU 18 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | — | 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.