Compare towns
Starks vs Brownfield vs Mercer
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).
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Brownfield | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,830Highest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
39.9±6.8Lowest 11% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Starks and Mercer 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% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Mercer 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% |
18.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Starks and Brownfield 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 |
$60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME |
$71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
| Mercer 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 |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Brownfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,422±$249 25% above ME |
| Brownfield and Mercer 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 |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brownfield 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.