Compare towns
Ludlow vs Unity 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).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Starks has the oldest population (median age 46.7).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 444Lowest |
1,858Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
| Starks and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111 13% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% 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 | $1,655 45% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.