What stands out worked out from the figures below

Strong has the most expensive homes ($184k median).

Stacyville has the most affordable homes ($102k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Strong	Stacyville
People
Population	1,249Highest	465Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.5% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME	49.6±4.6Highest 11% above ME
	Stacyville and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1%	15.5%±8.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Strong and Stacyville 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%	20.6%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Strong and Stacyville 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%	12.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%	0.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Strong and Stacyville 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	$54,583±$26kHighest 27% below ME
	Stacyville 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±$29kHighest 38% below ME	$101,700±$25kLowest 66% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$920±$276Highest 19% below ME	$880±$74Lowest 23% below ME
	Strong and Stacyville 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	$1,099Lowest 64% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4%	60%±54.6Highest ME: 48.4%
	Stacyville 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%	11.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	88.4%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME	1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 26% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	18.5%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	22.6%±16.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Stacyville 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 89
High school in town	None in town	Katahdin Middle/High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.