Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Avon 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k 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 | Mapleton | Avon | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
359Lowest |
984 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.1±5.1 5% above ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Avon 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Troy 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$29k 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
| Troy and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Strong 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,752 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Troy 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
42 min 71% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1Lowest 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 79/MSAD 01 | — | 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.