Compare towns
Strong vs Union vs Washington
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 most expensive homes ($268k median).
Washington has the most homeowners (92.5%).
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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washington 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% |
14.2%±4Lowest 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%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Union 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% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Washington 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
| Union and Washington 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 |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$195,200±$36k 34% below ME |
| Union and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
| Union and Washington 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 |
$2,286 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Washington and Union 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% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Lowest 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.