Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Island Falls
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).
Island Falls has the most affordable homes ($108k 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 | Island Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
768Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.7±10.6Highest 13% above ME |
| Island Falls 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% |
20.7%±7.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Island Falls 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% |
26.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Island Falls 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% |
12.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Island Falls 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 |
$56,328±$8k 25% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$108,300±$25kLowest 63% 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±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$636±$124 44% below ME |
| Strong and Island Falls 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 |
$1,720Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
17.9%±51.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Strong and Island Falls 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% |
20.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±5.4Lowest 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.