Compare towns
Starks vs Orient 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 most affordable homes ($149k median).
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
Mercer has the most kids (20.1% 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 | Orient | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
137Lowest |
718Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
62±9Highest 38% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Orient 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% |
16.8%±18.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Orient 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% |
46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±11.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Starks and Mercer 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 |
— | $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±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Lowest 7% 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 |
— | $1,970Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orient and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2% ME: 10.7% |
35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer 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% |
81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| 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.