Compare towns
Pittston vs Starks vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Alfred has the most people working from home (7.6%).
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 | Pittston | Starks | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,093 |
556Lowest |
3,125Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
| Starks and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Alfred and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
| Pittston and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
| Alfred and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Pittston and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,909 37% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Alfred and Pittston 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 | #123 of 133 in ME | — | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.