Compare towns
Strong vs Patten vs Troy
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 youngest population (median age 47.5).
Patten has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
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 | Patten | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
1,154 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
| Patten and Troy 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% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Troy and Strong 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Troy 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 |
$51,484±$6kHighest 31% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Patten and Strong 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 |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
| Troy and Strong 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 |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,752 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Troy 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.