Compare towns
Strong vs Jay vs Avon
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%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k median).
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 | Jay | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
4,657Highest |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
47.1±5.1 5% above ME |
| Strong and Avon 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% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Avon 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% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Avon 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% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Avon 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 |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
| Jay and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29kHighest 38% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
| Strong and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Strong and Jay 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 |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 73 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.