Compare towns
Industry vs Freedom vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Industry has the most kids (24.4% under 18).
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.1%).
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.
| Measure | Industry | Freedom | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 988Highest |
670 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.6±10.7 9% below ME |
40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Industry and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Industry and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Industry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,056±$19kLowest 16% below ME |
$64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Freedom and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$31kHighest 31% below ME |
$190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Industry and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,049±$137Lowest 8% below ME |
— | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,793 41% below ME |
$2,328Highest 23% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Industry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 67% above ME |
32 minLowest 29% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freedom and Industry 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.