Compare towns
Starks vs Millinocket vs Madison vs Industry
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 homeowners (90%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Industry has the most kids (24.4% under 18).
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 | Millinocket | Madison | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
4,115 |
4,782Highest |
988 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
-2.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
40.6±10.7Lowest 9% below ME |
| Millinocket and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Industry and Starks 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% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Madison 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Millinocket 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 |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$63,056±$19k 16% below ME |
| Starks and Industry 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 |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$205,600±$31kHighest 31% below ME |
| Industry and Madison 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 |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
$1,049±$137 8% below ME |
| Starks and Industry 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 |
$1,580 48% below ME |
$1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,793 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Industry 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% |
17.1% ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1964 13 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
41 minHighest 67% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Industry 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | — |
| High school in town | — | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | Madison Jr/Sr High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
10.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.