Compare towns
Blaine vs Starks vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering BlaineMars Hill
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blaine has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Starks has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.3%).
Bridgewater has the most people working from home (7.5%).
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 | Blaine | Starks | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 706Highest |
556 |
484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.1% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±17Lowest 3% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Blaine and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±7.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20% ME: 36.2% |
21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Blaine and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,707±$24kHighest 8% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
| Blaine and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$154,900±$78kHighest 48% below ME |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $691±$303Lowest 39% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$768±$116 33% below ME |
| Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,804Highest 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,417 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±5.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bridgewater and Blaine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.