Compare towns
Strong vs Lagrange vs Sullivan 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%).
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Sullivan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Lagrange | Sullivan | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
709Lowest |
1,246 |
1,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
45.9±13.8Lowest about the ME average |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
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% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Phillips 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% |
18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Sullivan and Strong 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Phillips 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 |
$58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
$59,643±$14kHighest 20% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Sullivan and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$222,000±$33kHighest 25% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Sullivan and Phillips 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 |
$831±$151 27% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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 |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange 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% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 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 24 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Sumner Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.5 |
— |
| 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.