Compare towns
Starks vs Appleton vs Madison 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 affordable homes ($149k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Madison has the most renters (61.1% rent).
Madison has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Madison | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,360 |
2,676 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.9±12.3Lowest about the ME average |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
| Madison and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Starks and Appleton 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%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Madison 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$61,698±$20k 17% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
| Starks and Madison 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±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
| Appleton and Madison 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±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$850±$218Lowest 25% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
| Appleton and Starks 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 |
$1,740 43% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 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% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
54.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1964 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.