Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Phillips vs Harrington
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).
Phillips has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Harrington has the most affordable homes ($145k 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 | Phillips | Harrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
1,094 |
917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
49.2±12.1 10% above ME |
| Phillips and Harrington 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% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
32%±9.5Highest 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% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Phillips 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$64,861±$17k 13% 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$144,600±$71kLowest 51% below ME |
| Mapleton and Phillips 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 |
$483±$377Lowest 58% 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 | $1,950 36% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,777Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
79.3%±39Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Harrington 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% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
83.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None 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.