What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orland has the most people working from home (17%).

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	Orland	Starks
People
Population	1,915Highest	556Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME
	Orland and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Starks and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4%	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	21%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8%	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Orland and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,348±$29kHighest 7% below ME	$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME
	Orland and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,149±$177Highest about the ME average	$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME
	Orland and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,089Highest 31% below ME	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45%±23.8Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	40 minHighest 62% above ME	33 minLowest 33% above ME
Work from home	17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9%	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Orland and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.