Compare towns
Phillips vs Strong vs Wade
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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k 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 | Strong | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,094 |
1,249Highest |
244Lowest |
| 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 |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest 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%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
33.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Strong 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 |
$47,557±$10kHighest 36% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% 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 |
$920±$276Highest 19% 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Strong 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest 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 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.