Compare towns
Strong vs Appleton vs Troy
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%).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,360Highest |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy 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%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy 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% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Troy 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±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong 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 |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
| Appleton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Appleton 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 |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Troy 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% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Strong 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.