Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Monroe 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 people working from home (18.5%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Monroe | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
1,001Lowest |
1,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%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 |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Mapleton 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% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe 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% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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±$10k 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Mapleton and Monroe 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 |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Monroe and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Monroe 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 |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Phillips 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% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips 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 03/MSAD 03 | 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 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.