Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Hope 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 oldest population (median age 46.7).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
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 | Hope | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
1,884Highest |
1,748 |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Ludlow 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% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hope 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
| Hope 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope 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 | Hope Public Schools | — |
| 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.