Compare towns
Cushing vs Madison vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
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.
| Measure | Cushing | Madison | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460 |
4,782Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
| Madison and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Cushing and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$906±$247Lowest 20% below 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 | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.