Compare towns
Phillips vs Steuben 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).
Steuben has the highest household income ($76k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k 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 | Steuben | Strong | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,094 |
1,388Highest |
1,249 |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
47.1±5.1 5% above ME |
| Phillips and Strong 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% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest 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% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7% ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Steuben 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±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
| Steuben and Avon 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 |
$173,900±$32k 41% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 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 |
$678±$319 40% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Strong and Steuben 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 |
$2,029 33% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Phillips 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% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips 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 24 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school 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.