Compare towns
Appleton vs Ludlow vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Ludlow has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Starks has the highest household income ($64k).
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 | Appleton | Ludlow | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
444Lowest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$988±$111Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.