Compare towns
Strong vs Brooklin vs Union
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).
Brooklin has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Brooklin | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
869Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Brooklin and Strong 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% |
16.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Strong 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% |
24.7%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brooklin 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Union 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 |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union and Brooklin 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 |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Brooklin and Union 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 |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Brooklin and Union 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 |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Brooklin and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
26 minLowest 4% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Brooklin Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.