Compare towns
Limestone vs Mercer vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Limestone has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Starks has the oldest population (median age 46.7).
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 | Limestone | Mercer | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579Highest |
718 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,970Highest 35% below ME |
$1,348 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.