Compare towns
Strong vs Brooks 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 people working from home (18.5%).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Brooks | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,208Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Strong and Brooks 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% |
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%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Union 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% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks 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 |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Brooks 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±$112 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Brooks 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Strong 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Union 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 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.