Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Strong vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steep Falls has the highest household income ($80k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Porter has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Steep Falls | Strong | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,861Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Strong and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Porter and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,280±$33kHighest 7% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$60,417±$9k 19% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,400±$31kHighest 18% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$226,100±$20k 24% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
— |
| Steep Falls and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,273Highest 8% above ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 25% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school 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.