Compare towns

Starks vs Chapman 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).
Chapman has the highest household income ($93k).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (9.8%).

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.

MeasureStarksChapmanLudlow
People
Population
556Highest
388Lowest
444
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
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%
27.6%±5.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
22.7%±5.9
ME: 18.1%
Chapman and Ludlow 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%
27.6%±3.8Highest
ME: 22.4%
12.4%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
21%
ME: 36.2%
22.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
16.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.9%±2.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.2%±2.6Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.7%±3.1
ME: 5.8%
Chapman 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
$93,125±$17kHighest
25% above ME
$62,500±$21kLowest
16% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$148,500±$27k
50% below ME
$185,700±$22kHighest
37% below ME
$133,900±$56kLowest
55% 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±$301Highest
7% below ME
—
$988±$111Lowest
13% below ME
Starks and Ludlow 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
$1,850Highest
39% below ME
$1,655
45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.5%±90.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
45.5%±94.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
19.2%Highest
ME: 10.7%
6.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
15.3%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
90.4%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988
11 yrs newer than ME
1982Lowest
5 yrs newer than ME
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
33% above ME
23 min
6% below ME
21 minLowest
15% below ME
Work from home
3.3%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
4.8%±3.5
ME: 15.9%
9.8%±8Highest
ME: 15.9%
Ludlow and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.