Compare towns
Bingham vs Patten vs Solon
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%).
Solon has the most expensive homes ($184k 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 | Patten | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 660Lowest |
1,154Highest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest 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% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Solon 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Lowest 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% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Bingham and Solon 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 |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Solon and Patten 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±$49k 57% below ME |
$183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
| Solon 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 |
$389±$99 66% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,199 61% below ME |
$1,854Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Solon 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 74/MSAD 74 |
| 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.