Compare towns
Strong vs Sullivan 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).
Sullivan has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Sullivan | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,246Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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% |
18%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
22.5%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sullivan and Strong 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Union 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 |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union 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 |
$222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union 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 |
$883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Strong 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 |
$2,228 27% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Sullivan and Union 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% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9Lowest 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 | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 24 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.5 |
— |
| 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.