Compare towns
Strong vs Unity vs New Vineyard
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%).
New Vineyard has the most kids (24.5% under 18).
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 | New Vineyard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,858Highest |
607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.5±9.5Highest 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.5%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Vineyard 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% |
27%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| New Vineyard 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$61,806±$19k 17% below ME |
| Unity and New Vineyard 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±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$190,000±$76k 36% below ME |
| Unity and New Vineyard 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±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$925±$490Highest 19% below ME |
| New Vineyard 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,136 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±5.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and New Vineyard 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.