Compare towns
Starks vs Brighton vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
Brighton has the most kids (18.3% under 18).
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 | Brighton | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,167 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 20% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
49.6±3.4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Madison 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brighton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton 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 21% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$61,747±$11k 24% below U.S. |
| 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 55% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39k 51% below U.S. |
$187,600±$40kHighest 44% below U.S. |
| Madison and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 25% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$906±$247 36% below U.S. |
| 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 57% below U.S. |
$3,360Highest 8% above U.S. |
$1,983 36% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
54.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Madison and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Brighton School District | 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 |
U.S. 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.