Compare towns
Bingham vs Sumner vs Patten vs Bingham
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).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Bingham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Sumner | Patten | Bingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660 |
845 |
1,154Highest |
564Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
56.1±8.4 25% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
55.6±7.8Lowest 24% above ME |
| Patten and Sumner 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% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±8.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner 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% |
29.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
33.2%±5.1 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bingham 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±$22k 43% below ME |
$57,750±$19kHighest 23% below ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$34,688±$23kLowest 54% below ME |
| Sumner 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 |
$150,000±$73kHighest 49% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$104,500±$33k 65% below ME |
| Sumner 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±$99Highest 66% below ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% 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 | $1,059 65% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,199 61% below ME |
$1,036Lowest 66% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 25 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1947Lowest 30 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Sumner 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 10 | — | — |
| 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.