Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Strong vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Mount Vernon | Strong | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,716 |
1,249Lowest |
3,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2Lowest 5% above ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Strong and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6k about the ME average |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168 22% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Strong and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade 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 | — | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 18 |
| 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.