Compare towns
Strong vs Brooks vs Newburgh vs Phillips
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 most renters (25.4% rent).
Newburgh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Newburgh | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,208 |
1,475Highest |
1,094Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips 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% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Newburgh 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% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Newburgh 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 |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$76,750±$10kHighest about the ME average |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Newburgh 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±$33k 34% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Newburgh and Brooks 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 |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Brooks and Newburgh 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 |
$2,748Highest 9% below ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Newburgh 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% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | 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.