Compare towns
Starks vs Baldwin 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).
Baldwin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Starks | Baldwin | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,170 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
| Baldwin and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Starks and Madison 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% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin 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±$8k 15% below ME |
$68,045±$8kHighest 9% below ME |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
| Baldwin 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±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
| Baldwin and Madison 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 |
— | $906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
| Starks and Madison 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 |
$2,540Highest 16% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Madison 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
32 min 32% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school 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 |
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.