Compare towns
Friendship vs Mapleton vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Friendship has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.9%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Friendship | Mapleton | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,213Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Friendship and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,625±$22k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$56kHighest 7% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,218Highest 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.5%±42.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Friendship and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Friendship 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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.