Compare towns
Durham vs Bingham vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
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 | Durham | Bingham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
660Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Bingham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Durham 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bingham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None 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.