Compare towns
Phillips vs Patten vs Strong vs Avon
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).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Strong has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Avon has the highest household income ($63k).
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 | Patten | Strong | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,094 |
1,154 |
1,249Highest |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
47.1±5.1Lowest 5% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Avon and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7% ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$63,125±$32kHighest 16% below ME |
| Avon and Patten 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 |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$141,700±$42k 52% 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±$377 58% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$465±$30 59% below ME |
| Strong and Phillips 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 |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,469 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Patten 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten 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 | 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.