Compare towns
Starks vs Ludlow vs Mapleton vs Mercer
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).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Ludlow | Mapleton | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
444Lowest |
1,884Highest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| 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% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Mapleton 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% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer 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% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mercer 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 |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Mercer and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Starks 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 |
$1,655 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,970Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.