Compare towns
Strong vs Sumner 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 renters (15.4% rent).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k 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.
| Measure | Strong | Sumner | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
845Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Sumner and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union and Sumner 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Lowest 19% 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 10 | 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.