Compare towns
Starks vs Appleton vs Bridgewater vs Mercer
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 affordable homes ($149k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Appleton | Bridgewater | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
1,360Highest |
484Lowest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.8±8 9% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Bridgewater 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% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Bridgewater 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 |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
$71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
| Mercer and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$768±$116Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,417 53% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Starks 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% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.