Compare towns
Albion vs Strong vs Benton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Albion has the most expensive homes ($231k median).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Benton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Albion | Strong | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,204 |
1,249Lowest |
2,770Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±7.5Highest 18% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
| Albion and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Albion and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Benton and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,361±$23kHighest 17% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
| Albion and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $230,900±$31kHighest 22% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
| Albion and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,110±$123Highest about the ME average |
| Benton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,987Highest 35% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
10%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 36% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Albion 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 | — | — | #85 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.