Compare towns
Pittston vs Starks vs Bowdoin
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).
Bowdoin has the most people working from home (11.7%).
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 | Pittston | Starks | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,093 |
556Lowest |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Starks and Bowdoin 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% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Pittston 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 |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin 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±$301Lowest 7% 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 |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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.