Compare towns
Mapleton vs Phillips vs Poland vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Phillips | Poland | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,094Lowest |
5,954Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Phillips and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.8% ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Poland and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$2,774Highest 9% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.6% ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Strong 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 | — | — | #81 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 16 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.