Compare towns
Patten vs Brewer vs Bingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k 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 | Patten | Brewer | Bingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154 |
9,652Highest |
660Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
56±8.2 25% above ME |
| Patten and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4 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+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99 66% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,199 61% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 11 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Bingham 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 83/MSAD 13 |
| High school in town | — | Brewer High School | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
7.3Lowest |
| 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.