Compare towns
Patten vs Mapleton vs Bingham vs Crystal
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
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 | Mapleton | Bingham | Crystal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,154 |
1,884Highest |
660 |
247Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
56±8.2 25% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
| Crystal 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.5%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$48,125±$13k 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
| Mapleton and Crystal 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 |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
| Crystal and Mapleton 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 |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,059 65% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Bingham 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.1% ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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.