Compare towns
Phillips vs Unity vs Levant 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 oldest population (median age 49.7).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Levant has the highest household income ($86k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Levant | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,094Lowest |
1,858 |
3,069Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% 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%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips and Levant 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.6% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Levant and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$268,500±$27kHighest 9% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Levant and Unity 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest 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 | — | — | #124 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| 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.