Compare towns
Bingham vs Sumner 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Sumner | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 660Lowest |
845 |
963Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
| Sumner and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham and Sumner 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bingham and Sumner 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Solon and Sumner 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±$73k 49% below ME |
$183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
| Solon and Sumner 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 |
— | $915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| 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 |
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.