Compare towns
Strong vs Exeter vs Troy
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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
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 | Exeter | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
1,093 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
| Exeter and Troy 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Troy and Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
| Troy and Strong 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 |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,752 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Troy and Exeter 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Strong 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 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.