Compare towns
Ludlow vs Patten 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 kids (22.7% under 18).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Starks has the most expensive homes ($149k median).
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 | Patten | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 444Lowest |
1,154Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Patten and Starks 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% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Starks 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ludlow and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,900±$56k 55% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$148,500±$27kHighest 50% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111 13% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655Highest 45% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,348 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±94.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Ludlow 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 | 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.