Compare towns
Strong vs Appleton vs Avon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k 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 | Strong | Appleton | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,360Highest |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
47.1±5.1Lowest 5% above ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Avon and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$63,125±$32kHighest 16% below ME |
| Avon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950 36% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.