Compare towns
Strong vs Wales vs Phillips
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).
Wales has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.5%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Wales | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,924Highest |
1,094Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Wales and Phillips 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% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Phillips 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% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Phillips 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 |
$77,004±$5kHighest 3% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,154±$64Highest about the ME average |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Wales 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 |
$2,578 15% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Phillips 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% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Strong 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 04 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oak Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.