Compare towns
Strong vs Hope vs Danforth 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Hope | Danforth | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,748Highest |
666Lowest |
984 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
| Danforth 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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Troy 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% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Danforth 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% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Troy 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±$10k 36% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Hope 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 |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,752 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Troy and Hope 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest 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 | Hope Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.