Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Cushing vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Bridgewater | Cushing | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 484Lowest |
1,460Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cushing and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Cushing and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Cushing and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417 53% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest 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 | 12% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 13 | — |
| 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.