Compare towns
Bingham vs Thorndike vs Unity 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).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Bingham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1947).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Thorndike | Unity | Bingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660 |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
564Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
55.6±7.8 24% above ME |
| Bingham 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±8.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
33.2%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham 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% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $42,708±$22k 43% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$34,688±$23kLowest 54% below ME |
| Thorndike and Unity 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 |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$104,500±$33k 65% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike 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 |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike 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 |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,036Lowest 66% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 25 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1947Lowest 30 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
11.7 |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.