Compare towns
Liberty vs Starks vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Liberty has the most expensive homes ($230k median).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Liberty | Starks | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 969Highest |
556Lowest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Starks and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Liberty and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Waldo and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31kHighest 23% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Liberty and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434Highest 20% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,623 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.