Compare towns
Strong vs Beals vs Phillips vs Avon
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%).
Beals has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
Phillips has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k 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 | Beals | Phillips | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
498 |
1,094 |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
47.1±5.1Lowest 5% above ME |
| Phillips and Beals 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% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Avon 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% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals 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% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals 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 |
$64,063±$14kHighest 14% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
| Beals and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
$483±$377 58% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Strong and Beals 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 |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon 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% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Beals 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.