What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Prospect has the most people working from home (6.2%).

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	Prospect
People
Population	556Lowest	923Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME	45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average
	Starks and Prospect 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%	25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Prospect and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4%	19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Starks and Prospect 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%	22.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	1.6%±1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Prospect 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	$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME
	Prospect 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	$196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME	$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average
	Prospect 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	$1,979Highest 35% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%	31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Prospect 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%	7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest ME: 74.3%	88.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME	1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 33% above ME	33 minHighest 34% above ME
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	6.2%±3.3Highest ME: 15.9%
	Prospect 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.