Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Harrington 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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Harrington has the shortest commute (20 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 | Mapleton | Harrington | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
917 |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±12.1Highest 10% above ME |
47.1±5.1 5% above ME |
| Harrington 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% |
15.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8 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% |
32%±9.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Harrington 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% |
27.3% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$64,861±$17k 13% below ME |
$63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Harrington 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±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$144,600±$71k 51% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
| Mapleton and Strong 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 |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
— | $465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Strong and Mapleton 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 |
$1,777 41% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
79.3%±39 ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Harrington 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.1% ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Mapleton 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 37/MSAD 37 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Narraguagus High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.