Compare towns
Palermo vs Strong vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the highest household income ($89k).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Palermo | Strong | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473Highest |
1,249 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
| Strong and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Palermo and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506Highest 17% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.