Compare towns
Madison 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
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Starks has the most affordable 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 | Madison | Mercer | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,782Highest |
718 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,747±$11kLowest 17% 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 | $187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Mercer and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247Lowest 20% 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 | $1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | — | — |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.