What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).

Orland has the most people working from home (17%).

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	Orland
People
Population	556Lowest	1,915Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME	50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME
	Orland 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%	14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Starks and Orland 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%	27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21%Lowest ME: 36.2%	31.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Orland 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±$8kLowest 15% below ME	$69,348±$29kHighest 7% below ME
	Orland 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	$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME	$1,149±$177Highest about the ME average
	Orland 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	$2,089Highest 31% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%	45%±23.8Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Orland 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%	7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest ME: 74.3%	87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 33% above ME	40 minHighest 62% above ME
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Orland 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.