Compare towns
Rome vs Starks vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Rome | Starks | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215 |
556Lowest |
1,716Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME |
46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25kHighest 4% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
| Rome and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829 40% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 21% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.