Compare towns
Mapleton vs Phillips vs Strong vs Sullivan
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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Sullivan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Strong | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,094Lowest |
1,249 |
1,246 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
47.1±15 5% 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sullivan and Strong 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Mapleton 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 |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sullivan 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 |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$222,000±$33kHighest 25% below ME |
| Sullivan and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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 |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Sullivan 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.