Compare towns
Stark vs Windham vs Benton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stark has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Benton has the oldest population (median age 62.1).
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 | Stark | Windham | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 419 |
19,188Highest |
386Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 58.8±3.6 51% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
62.1±1.9Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Benton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
37.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Benton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,750±$23k 11% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$67,895±$4kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Windham and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $197,700±$34kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$288,300±$46k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,636Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$3,938Highest 26% above U.S. |
$2,922 6% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Benton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Stark 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Stark School District | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.