Compare towns
Starks vs Cushing vs Union
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).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Cushing | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,460 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Cushing and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Cushing 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% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Cushing 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 |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Cushing and Union 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 |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Cushing and Union 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 |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Cushing 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% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 13 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.