Compare towns
Mercer vs Union 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%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Union | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718 |
2,663Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% 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%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Union 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Union 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
| Union 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 |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Union and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
| Mercer and Union 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Union 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.