Compare towns
Patten vs Cherryfield vs Mount Chase 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%).
Cherryfield has the most expensive homes ($196k median).
Mount Chase has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
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 | Cherryfield | Mount Chase | Bingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154Highest |
809 |
280Lowest |
660 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1% ME: +2.6% |
— | -6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
49.9±10.9Lowest 11% above ME |
56±8.2 25% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Patten 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% |
11.6%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase 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% |
32.4%±9.6 ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3Lowest 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% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,484±$6kHighest 31% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$41,711±$7k 44% below ME |
$42,708±$22k 43% below ME |
| Patten and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
$115,700±$15k 61% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99 66% below ME |
$428±$107 62% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
| Mount Chase and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,199 61% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,548 49% below ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Cherryfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.2% ME: 10.7% |
26.3% ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Cherryfield Public Schools | — | RSU 83/MSAD 13 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School |
| 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.