What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).

Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Starks	Chapman
People
Population	556Highest	388Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME	45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average
	Starks and Chapman 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%	27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21%Lowest ME: 36.2%	22.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Chapman and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME	$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME	$185,700±$22kHighest 37% below ME
	Chapman and Starks 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	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME	$1,850Highest 39% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Chapman 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%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 33% above ME	23 minLowest 6% below ME
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	4.8%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Chapman and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.