Compare towns
Phillips vs Thomaston 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 most kids (20.7% under 18).
Thomaston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Thomaston | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,094Lowest |
2,769Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Thomaston 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% |
19.2%±5.7Lowest 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 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±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$56,435±$13kHighest 24% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips 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 | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 13 | 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 |
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.