Compare towns
Strong vs Waterville 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 people working from home (18.5%).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Phillips has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
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 | Waterville | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
17,077Highest |
1,094Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% 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%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips and Strong 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$53,580±$4kHighest 28% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Waterville and Strong 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 |
$184,600±$21k 38% below ME |
$190,800±$18kHighest 36% below ME |
| Phillips and Waterville 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 |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Waterville 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 |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.