Compare towns
Strong vs Unity vs Milbridge 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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Milbridge has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Milbridge | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,858Highest |
1,222 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
50.3±6.2Highest 12% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
| Milbridge and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Milbridge and Troy 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% |
30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Milbridge and Troy 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% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
24.7% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Unity and Milbridge 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 |
$240,400±$31kHighest 19% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
| Milbridge and Troy 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$619±$186Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Strong 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 |
$2,022 33% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6 ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Troy and Milbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.1% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer 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 |
21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Milbridge 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 37/MSAD 37 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| 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.