Compare towns
Strong vs Unity vs Mapleton vs Sullivan
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%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Sullivan has the most expensive homes ($222k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Mapleton | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,858 |
1,884Highest |
1,246Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sullivan 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$222,000±$33kHighest 25% below ME |
| Sullivan and Unity 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Sullivan 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Unity 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 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
— | 10.5Lowest |
| 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.