Compare towns
Strong vs Union vs Danforth
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 people working from home (18.5%).
Union has the highest household income ($81k).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k 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 | Union | Danforth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
2,663Highest |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
| Danforth 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest 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% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Danforth 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$629±$22Lowest 45% 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
— |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Strong 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest 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 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school 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.