Compare towns
Starks vs Exeter 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 most renters (10% rent).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Exeter | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
1,093Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$166,700±$39kHighest 44% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Exeter 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 |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$988±$111Lowest 13% below ME |
| Starks and Exeter 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 |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$1,655Highest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.