Compare towns
Patten vs Union 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%).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Union | Bingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154 |
2,663Highest |
660Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Union 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $389±$99 66% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,199 61% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | 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 |
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.