Compare towns
Strong vs Appleton vs Phillips vs New Vineyard
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%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
New Vineyard has the most kids (24.5% under 18).
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 | Phillips | New Vineyard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,360Highest |
1,094 |
607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
47.5±9.5Lowest 6% 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% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.5%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Vineyard 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| New Vineyard 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% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Appleton 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$61,806±$19kHighest 17% below ME |
| New Vineyard 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$190,000±$76k 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Phillips 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 |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$925±$490 19% below ME |
| Appleton and New Vineyard 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 |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$2,136 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±5.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and New Vineyard 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±8.6 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 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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 | 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.