Compare towns
Strong vs Wade vs Chapman
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%).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Chapman has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Wade | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Highest |
244Lowest |
388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
| Wade 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% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Chapman 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% |
33.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Strong 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 |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$185,700±$22kHighest 37% below ME |
| Chapman and Strong 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Strong and Wade 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — | — |
| High school 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.