Compare towns
Strong vs Temple vs Phillips vs Troy
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).
Temple has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Temple | Phillips | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
824Lowest |
1,094 |
984 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
34±14Lowest 24% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
| Phillips and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple 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% |
15%±6.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Troy and Phillips 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 |
$56,087±$2kHighest 25% below ME |
$45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Temple 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±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
| Troy and Temple 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 |
$1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,255±$211 10% above ME |
| Temple and Troy 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 |
$2,367 22% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.3%±70.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Temple and Troy 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±8.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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 | 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.