Compare towns
Strong vs Brooks 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%).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 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 | Brooks | New Vineyard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
1,208 |
607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
47.5±9.5Highest 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.5%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Vineyard 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% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| New Vineyard 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% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Strong 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 |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$61,806±$19kHighest 17% below ME |
| New Vineyard and Brooks 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 |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$190,000±$76k 36% below ME |
| Brooks and New Vineyard 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 |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$925±$490 19% below ME |
| Brooks 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 |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$2,136Highest 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±5.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| New Vineyard and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and New Vineyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.