Compare towns
Starks vs Patten vs Ludlow
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 expensive homes ($149k median).
Patten has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Patten | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
607Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME |
46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Patten 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% |
16.5%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Patten 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% |
32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ludlow and Patten 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 |
$45,750±$19kLowest 39% below ME |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow 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 |
$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME |
$133,900±$56k 55% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow 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 |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$988±$111 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 | $1,348 56% below ME |
$857Lowest 72% below ME |
$1,655Highest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±58.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten 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% |
28.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
72.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Ludlow 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 | 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.