What stands out worked out from the figures below

Prospect has the most people working from home (6.2%).

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	Prospect	Starks
People
Population	923Highest	556Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6%	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average	46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME
	Starks and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1%	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Prospect and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4%	20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	Starks and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.3%Highest ME: 36.2%	21%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±1Highest ME: 5.8%	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Prospect and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME	$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME
	Prospect and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average	$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME
	Prospect and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,979Highest 35% below ME	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME	1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 34% above ME	33 minLowest 33% above ME
Work from home	6.2%±3.3Highest ME: 15.9%	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Prospect 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.