Compare towns
Norridgewock vs Mapleton vs Starks vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norridgewock has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Norridgewock | Mapleton | Starks | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,288Highest |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±11Highest 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Norridgewock and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,579±$19kLowest 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $151,900±$52k 49% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Mercer and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$588 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,462 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,970Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±46.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Norridgewock and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock and Mercer 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 | #91 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 54/MSAD 54 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.