Compare towns
Strong vs Mapleton vs Wade vs Milbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Milbridge has the shortest commute (18 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 | Wade | Milbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,884Highest |
244Lowest |
1,222 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | +1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
50.3±6.2 12% above ME |
| Wade and Milbridge 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Milbridge 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Milbridge 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% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
24.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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 |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Milbridge 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$240,400±$31kHighest 19% below ME |
| Milbridge 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 |
— | $619±$186 46% below ME |
| Strong and Milbridge 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,022Highest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Milbridge and Strong 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Milbridge and Strong 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 | — | None in town |
| 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.