Compare towns
Palmyra vs Strong vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Porter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Palmyra | Strong | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
40.9±7.9 9% below ME |
| Strong and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17kHighest 19% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$60,417±$9k 19% below ME |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
| Porter and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
— |
| Strong and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,841 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school 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.