What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has the highest household income ($64k).

Monticello has the most people working from home (7.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Starks	Monticello
People
Population	556Lowest	674Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-6.7%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME	52.7±6Highest 18% above ME
	Monticello and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1%	13.8%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Starks and Monticello 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%	28.2%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21%Highest ME: 36.2%	9.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.5%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Monticello 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±$8kHighest 15% below ME	$51,875±$13kLowest 31% below ME
	Starks and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$148,500±$27kHighest 50% below ME	$125,800±$36kLowest 58% below ME
	Starks and Monticello 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	$833±$434Lowest 27% below ME
	Starks and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,348Highest 56% below ME	$1,200Lowest 60% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%	37.5%±62.8Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%	19.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest ME: 74.3%	88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 33% above ME	30 minLowest 23% above ME
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	7.1%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Monticello and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.