Compare towns
Starks vs Bowdoin vs Appleton vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Bowdoin | Appleton | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
3,188Highest |
1,360 |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Starks 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% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton 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% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Ludlow 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 |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Bowdoin 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±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$988±$111Lowest 13% 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 |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 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% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin and Appleton 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| 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.