Compare towns
Mercer vs Starks vs Rome
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%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
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 | Starks | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718 |
556Lowest |
1,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME |
| Rome and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Mercer 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% |
24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome 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 |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$77,639±$25kHighest 4% above ME |
| Rome 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 |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,150±$56 about the ME average |
| Mercer and Rome 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 |
$1,829 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Starks 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% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 minLowest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| 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.