Compare towns
Starks vs Anson vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
Anson has the most kids (26.2% under 18).
Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Starks | Anson | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
680 |
2,676Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-9.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
43.3±15.2Lowest 3% below ME |
44.9±12.3 about the ME average |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
26.2%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
0%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$87,770±$61kHighest 17% above ME |
$61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
| Anson and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$100,400±$28kLowest 66% below ME |
$163,900±$59kHighest 45% below ME |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$914±$247 20% below ME |
$850±$218Lowest 25% below ME |
| Starks and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348 56% below ME |
$1,207Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,740Highest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.8%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
60.7% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1950Lowest 27 yrs older than ME |
1953 24 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
31 minLowest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
0%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.