What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chesterville has the most people working from home (7.1%).

Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chesterville	Starks
People
Population	1,397Highest	556Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME	46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME
	Starks and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1%	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4%	20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	21%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Chesterville and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME	$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME
	Starks and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME
	Chesterville and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME	$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME
	Chesterville and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,194Highest 28% below ME	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12%Lowest ME: 10.7%	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	33 minHighest 33% above ME
Work from home	7.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9%	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Chesterville and Starks 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

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.