Compare towns
Phillips vs Readfield 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).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Readfield | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,094Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Phillips and Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips and Strong 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Readfield and Strong 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 38 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.