Compare towns
Phillips vs Troy vs Alton
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).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Alton has the highest household income ($63k).
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 | Troy | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,094Highest |
984 |
819Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
49.1±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
| Phillips and Troy 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% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Alton 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% |
21.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$62,955±$9kHighest 16% below ME |
| Alton 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±$18k 36% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$179,500±$25kLowest 39% 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 |
$866±$48 24% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,752 42% below ME |
$1,476Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
76.3%±88.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8% ME: 10.7% |
24.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±7.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy 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 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 34 |
| 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.