Compare towns
Starks vs Mars Hill vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.3%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Bridgewater has the most people working from home (7.5%).
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 | Mars Hill | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
1,398Highest |
484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
| Bridgewater and Starks 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Bridgewater 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% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater and Mars Hill 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% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Bridgewater 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 |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$65,417±$15kHighest 12% below ME |
| Bridgewater and Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23kHighest 45% below ME |
$154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Bridgewater 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 |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$768±$116 33% below ME |
| Starks and Bridgewater 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 |
$1,843Highest 39% below ME |
$1,417 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Bridgewater 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% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±5.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bridgewater and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.