Compare towns
Starks vs Mapleton vs Pittston 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 people working from home (10.8%).
Pittston has the most expensive homes ($239k median).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (21 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 | Mapleton | Pittston | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
1,884 |
3,093Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
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% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest 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%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Pittston 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Mapleton 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 |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Pittston 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 |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Pittston 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
| Pittston 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 |
$1,909Highest 37% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 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 |
26 min 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Ludlow 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 | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| 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.