Compare towns
Brownfield vs Starks vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brownfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Hiram has the most renters (16.2% rent).
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 | Brownfield | Starks | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,830Highest |
556Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.9±6.8Lowest 11% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
| Starks and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hiram and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$62,813±$10k 16% below ME |
| Starks and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,976Highest about the ME average |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,106 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 80% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
31 minLowest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.