Compare towns
Industry vs Mars Hill 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 expensive homes ($206k median).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Starks has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.3%).
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 | Mars Hill | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 988 |
1,398Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.6±10.7Lowest 9% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Mars Hill 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% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Industry and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Industry 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% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Industry 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 |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Industry and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,049±$137 8% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% 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 |
$1,843Highest 39% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 67% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Industry and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.