Compare towns
Andover vs Strong vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Strong has the most renters (15.4% rent).
Athens has grown the fastest since 2010 (-6.6%).
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 | Andover | Strong | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 679Lowest |
1,249Highest |
791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.9Highest 16% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
| Andover and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.8%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Andover and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Athens and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,922±$9k 33% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$50,750±$14kHighest 32% below ME |
| Athens and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,300±$22k 43% below ME |
$183,900±$29kHighest 38% below ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Strong and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Strong and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,513 50% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 16.1% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.2%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Andover and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Andover Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Athens Public Schools |
| 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.