Compare towns
Phillips vs Mount Chase 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).
Mount Chase has the most affordable homes ($116k median).
Strong has the highest household income ($48k).
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 | Mount Chase | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,094 |
280Lowest |
1,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
49.9±10.9Highest 11% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Mount Chase and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Chase and Strong 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% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Mount Chase 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 |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$47,557±$10kHighest 36% below ME |
| Strong and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,800±$18kHighest 36% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Phillips and Strong 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 |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Mount Chase and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,548Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Mount Chase 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% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Chase 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 | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school 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.