Compare towns
Phillips vs Sumner vs Troy 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).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Strong has the youngest population (median age 47.5).
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 | Sumner | Troy | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,094 |
845Lowest |
984 |
1,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Sumner 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% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Troy 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Troy 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±$12k 39% below ME |
$57,750±$19kHighest 23% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Sumner and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Troy and Phillips 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 |
— | $1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Troy 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Troy 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Sumner 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 10 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None 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.