Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Cushing vs Sullivan
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 most kids (22.2% under 18).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Sullivan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
1,460 |
1,246Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
| Cushing 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9Highest 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$59,643±$14k 20% 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 |
$222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$883±$114 22% 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 |
$2,228 27% 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% |
34.9%±23.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sullivan and Cushing 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
26 min 7% above 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% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 13 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| 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.