Compare towns
Strong vs Wells vs Milbridge
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Milbridge has the shortest commute (18 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 | Wells | Milbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249 |
11,713Highest |
1,222Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
50.3±6.2 12% above ME |
| Wells and Milbridge 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% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Milbridge 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Milbridge 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% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
| Wells and Milbridge 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$240,400±$31k 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$619±$186Lowest 46% below ME |
| Wells 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 |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$2,022 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Milbridge and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.1% 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 12% above ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Milbridge and Strong 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.