Compare towns
Starks vs Paris vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paris has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Ludlow has the most kids (22.7% 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 | Paris | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
5,317Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Paris and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Starks 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% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris 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% ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Paris and Ludlow 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 |
$75,137±$20kHighest about the ME average |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
| Paris 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 |
$240,400±$57kHighest 19% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
— | $988±$111Lowest 13% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow 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 |
$2,649Highest 13% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris 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% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Ludlow 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 | — | #114 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.