Compare towns
Temple vs Bingham vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Bingham has the oldest population (median age 56).
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Temple | Bingham | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 824 |
660Lowest |
1,924Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34±14Lowest 24% below ME |
56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
35.1±4.2 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,087±$2k 25% below ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$77,004±$5kHighest 3% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
| Wales and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,154±$64 about the ME average |
| Temple and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,367 22% below ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,578Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.3%±70.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.1% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±8.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | — | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.