Compare towns
Troy vs Strong vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Troy | Strong | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 984Lowest |
1,249 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
| Unity and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Troy and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Troy and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 50 minHighest 102% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.