Compare towns
Poland vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Poland | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,954Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.4Lowest about the ME average |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
| Strong and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Poland and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Poland and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,774Highest 9% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Strong 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 16 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.