Compare towns
Strong vs Appleton vs Levant vs Milbridge
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%).
Levant has the highest household income ($86k).
Milbridge has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Levant | Milbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,360 |
3,069Highest |
1,222Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
39.7±2.2Lowest 11% below ME |
50.3±6.2Highest 12% above ME |
| Milbridge and Appleton 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% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Milbridge and Levant 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Milbridge and Appleton 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% |
21.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Levant 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 |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
| Levant and Milbridge 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 |
$268,500±$27kHighest 9% below ME |
$240,400±$31k 19% below ME |
| Levant and Milbridge 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±$82 3% below ME |
$1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$619±$186Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$2,022 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Milbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Milbridge 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 | — | — | #124 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.