Compare towns
Strong vs Thorndike vs Avon
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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k 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 | Thorndike | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,403Highest |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
47.1±5.1 5% above ME |
| Strong and Avon 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Avon 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% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Avon 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 |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Avon 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 |
$205,600±$88kHighest 31% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
| Thorndike and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Strong and Thorndike 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 |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Thorndike 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
36 min 46% above ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.