Compare towns
Starks vs Milo 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 oldest population (median age 46.7).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Milo | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
2,165Highest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Starks and Milo 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% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Milo 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% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest 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% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Milo and Starks 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 |
$56,875±$9kLowest 24% below ME |
$71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
| Mercer and Starks 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 |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$879±$400Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer 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 |
$1,450 52% below ME |
$1,970Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Milo 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% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | — |
| High school in town | — | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.