Compare towns
Strong vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Phillips
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 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 | Mapleton | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,360 |
1,884Highest |
1,094Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Phillips 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Phillips 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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.