Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Berwick 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 most affordable homes ($149k median).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Berwick has the most expensive homes ($369k median).
Mercer has the most homeowners (92.1%).
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 | Mapleton | Berwick | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,884 |
8,175Highest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Starks and Mercer 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Berwick 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Berwick and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,422±$249 25% above ME |
| Berwick and Mercer 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Starks 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Berwick 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 | — | — | #101 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.