Compare towns
Exeter vs Ludlow vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Ludlow has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Starks has the most renters (10% 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 | Exeter | Ludlow | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093Highest |
444Lowest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Exeter and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kHighest 44% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
| Exeter and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$988±$111Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$1,655Highest 45% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
90%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter and Ludlow 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.