What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mercer	Starks
People
Population	718Highest	556Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43.4±4.5Lowest 3% 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%	16.4%±4.4Lowest 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+	25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4%	20.3%±2.2Lowest 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%	21%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	0.9%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Starks and Mercer 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	$63,500±$8kLowest 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	$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME	$1,063±$301Lowest 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	$1,970Highest 35% below ME	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Mercer 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%	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	90%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 23% above ME	33 minHighest 33% above ME
Work from home	20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.