Compare towns

Starks vs Phillips 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 highest household income ($64k).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k 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.

MeasureStarksPhillipsLudlow
People
Population
556
1,094Highest
444Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-7.3%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-12.6%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
—
Median age
46.7±9.4
4% above ME
49.7±3.7Highest
11% above ME
46.1±5.8Lowest
about the ME average
Phillips 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%
20.7%±5.1
ME: 18.1%
22.7%±5.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
Ludlow and Phillips 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%
21.3%±2.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
12.4%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Phillips 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%Highest
ME: 36.2%
20.7%
ME: 36.2%
16.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.9%±2.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
3.9%±2.6Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.7%±3.1
ME: 5.8%
Phillips 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±$8kHighest
15% below ME
$45,385±$12kLowest
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±$27k
50% below ME
$190,800±$18kHighest
36% below ME
$133,900±$56kLowest
55% below ME
Phillips and Starks 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
$483±$377Lowest
58% 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
$1,348Lowest
56% below ME
$2,582Highest
15% below ME
$1,655
45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.5%±90.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
40.4%±33Lowest
ME: 48.4%
45.5%±94.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
19.2%Highest
ME: 10.7%
17.7%
ME: 10.7%
15.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90%
ME: 74.3%
83.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
90.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988
11 yrs newer than ME
1974Lowest
3 yrs older than ME
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
33% above ME
23 min
8% below ME
21 minLowest
15% below ME
Work from home
3.3%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
16.8%±7Highest
ME: 15.9%
9.8%±8
ME: 15.9%
Phillips and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — RSU 58/MSAD 58 —
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.