Compare towns
Strong vs Mars Hill vs Milbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most renters (29.4% rent).
Milbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Mars Hill | Milbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,398Highest |
1,222Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
50.3±6.2Highest 12% above ME |
| Milbridge 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Milbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Milbridge and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
24.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$240,400±$31kHighest 19% below ME |
| Milbridge 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 |
$488±$96Lowest 57% 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 |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,022Highest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Milbridge and Mars Hill 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% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest 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 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.