Compare towns
Starks vs Limestone 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 expensive homes ($149k median).
Limestone has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Limestone | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
1,579Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
45.3±4.9Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Limestone 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% |
21.7%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Limestone 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% |
20.3% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone 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±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% 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±$27kHighest 50% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$133,900±$56k 55% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow 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 |
$754±$233Lowest 34% 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 | $1,348 56% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,655Highest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.

