Compare towns
Phillips vs Appleton vs Troy vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Phillips | Appleton | Troy | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,094 |
1,360Highest |
984Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Phillips and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Troy and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
$53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Appleton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Troy and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,582 15% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.