Compare towns
Strong vs Washburn vs Avon
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%).
Washburn has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Avon has the highest household income ($63k).
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 | Washburn | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
1,355Highest |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
47.1±5.1Lowest 5% above ME |
| Washburn 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% |
21.7%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn 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% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Washburn and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
$63,125±$32kHighest 16% below ME |
| Avon and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29kHighest 38% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
$141,700±$42k 52% below ME |
| Strong and Avon 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 |
$482±$62 58% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,571 48% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Washburn 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% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Washburn 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 45/MSAD 45 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Washburn District High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
— |
| 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.

