Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Cushing 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 affordable homes ($184k median).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
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 | Mapleton | Cushing | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
1,460 |
1,094Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips and Cushing 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Phillips 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Phillips 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% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Cushing and Strong 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Cushing 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 13 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.