Compare towns
Mercer vs Fairfield vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Fairfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Mercer | Fairfield | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718 |
6,519Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43.1±4Lowest 4% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Fairfield and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
$64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Mercer and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
$164,300±$28k 45% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,001±$101Lowest 12% below 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 | $1,970 35% below ME |
$2,217Highest 27% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Fairfield 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 | — | #47 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | — |
| High school in town | — | Lawrence High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— |
| 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.