Compare towns
Ludlow vs Mapleton vs Hermon vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Hermon has the most expensive homes ($334k median).
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 | Ludlow | Mapleton | Hermon | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 444Lowest |
1,884 |
6,727Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Hermon and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Hermon and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,761Highest 9% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hermon Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Hermon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.