Compare towns
Starks vs Patten vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Patten has the most affordable homes ($83k median).
Mercer has the most expensive homes ($239k median).
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 | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
607 |
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 |
56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| 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% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Patten 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% |
32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Patten and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Patten 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±$8k 15% below ME |
$45,750±$19kLowest 39% 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±$27k 50% below ME |
$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% 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 | $1,348 56% below ME |
$857Lowest 72% below ME |
$1,970Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
56%±58.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest 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% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
72.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mercer 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.