What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

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.

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

Measure	Industry	Starks
People
Population	988Highest	556Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-7.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.6±10.7Lowest 9% 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%	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Industry and Starks 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%	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Industry and Starks 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%	21%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%	0.9%±2.3Lowest 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	$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME
	Starks and Industry 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	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME
	Industry and Starks 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	$1,793Highest 41% below ME	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±90.3Lowest 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%	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	41 minHighest 67% above ME	33 minLowest 33% above ME
Work from home	7.1%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9%	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Industry 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.