Compare towns
Strong vs Stoneham vs Phillips vs Sullivan
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).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Sullivan has the youngest population (median age 47.1).
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 | Stoneham | Phillips | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
271Lowest |
1,094 |
1,246 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
— | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
60.6±7.1Highest 35% above ME |
49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
47.1±15Lowest 5% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5% ME: 36.2% |
37.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
14.8%±13.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
| Stoneham and Sullivan 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 |
$63,750±$27kHighest 15% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
| Stoneham and Sullivan 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 |
$226,200±$32kHighest 24% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
| Stoneham and Sullivan 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 |
$1,125±$383Highest about the ME average |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
| Stoneham 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 |
$1,426Lowest 53% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Stoneham 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Stoneham 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.5 |
| 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.