Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Lowell vs Farmington
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).
Lowell has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Farmington has the most renters (44.9% rent).
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 | Lowell | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884 |
378Lowest |
8,157Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -2.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
55.5±8.6Highest 24% above ME |
38.2±3.3Lowest 15% below ME |
| Lowell 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% |
13.2%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
10.6%±2.7Lowest 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% |
31.2%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
20.6%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$50,833±$31k 32% below ME |
$54,276±$7k 27% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$209,700±$30kHighest 29% below ME |
$166,600±$18kLowest 44% below ME |
| Lowell and Mapleton 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 |
— | $902±$106 21% below ME |
| Strong and Farmington 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,958Highest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.2%±12.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Lowell and Farmington 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% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
15.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
55.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Farmington and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #64 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Mt Blue High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.2 |
| 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.