Compare towns
Starks vs Madison vs Norridgewock
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 kids (16.4% under 18).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
Norridgewock has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Madison | Norridgewock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
4,782Highest |
3,288 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
50.3±11Highest 12% above ME |
| Norridgewock and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Starks and Madison 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% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Norridgewock 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% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Norridgewock 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 |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$61,579±$19kLowest 18% below ME |
| Starks and Madison 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 |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
$151,900±$52k 49% below ME |
| Madison and Norridgewock 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 |
$906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,063±$588Highest 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,462 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±46.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Norridgewock 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #91 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 54/MSAD 54 |
| High school in town | — | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.