Compare towns
Strong vs Sumner vs Union 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).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
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 | Sumner | Union | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
845Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest 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 |
49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
| Sumner and Phillips 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% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Phillips 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest 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% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips 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±$10k 36% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
— | $1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below 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 |
$2,582 15% below 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% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 10 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | 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.