Compare towns
Mercer vs Sebago 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 the most people working from home (20.5%).
Sebago has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Sebago | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718 |
2,073Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.7±3.9Lowest 9% 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%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Sebago 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% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest 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% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Sebago 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±$2k 5% below ME |
$78,438±$15kHighest 5% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Sebago and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
$298,000±$46kHighest about the ME average |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Sebago and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249 25% above ME |
$1,533±$292Highest 35% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
| Sebago and Mercer 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 |
$2,543Highest 16% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.3%±30.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Sebago and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%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 minLowest 23% above ME |
37 minHighest 52% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Sebago are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Sebago Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.