Compare towns
Strong vs Appleton vs Cushing
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 affordable homes ($184k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k 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 | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Lowest |
1,360 |
1,460Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
| Appleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Cushing 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% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Cushing 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 |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
| Cushing 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±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cushing 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| 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.