Compare towns
Starks vs Berwick vs Mapleton vs Ludlow
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 oldest population (median age 46.7).
Berwick has the most expensive homes ($369k median).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (21 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 | Berwick | Mapleton | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
8,175Highest |
1,884 |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
| Starks and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Mapleton 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% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Berwick 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 |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
| Berwick and Mapleton 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 |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Mapleton 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | None 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.