Compare towns
Strong vs Sidney vs Union
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 affordable homes ($184k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Sidney | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Lowest |
4,790Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Strong and Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Union 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 |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Sidney and Union 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Sidney and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Sidney and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 18 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None 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.