Compare towns
Starks vs Cherryfield 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 highest household income ($64k).
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Ludlow has the most kids (22.7% 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.
| Measure | Starks | Cherryfield | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
809Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Cherryfield 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% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Starks 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% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ludlow and Cherryfield 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 15% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Cherryfield 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 |
$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$988±$111 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 |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cherryfield and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2% ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Cherryfield Public Schools | — |
| 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.

