Compare towns
Strong vs Solon vs Troy vs Phillips
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Solon has the highest household income ($69k).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 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 | Solon | Troy | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
963Lowest |
984 |
1,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips 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% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Solon 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% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Troy 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 |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
| Solon 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 |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Troy and Phillips 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 |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950 36% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Troy 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% |
10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
50 min 102% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy 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 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.