Compare towns
Starks vs Raymond vs Madison
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 affordable homes ($149k median).
Raymond has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Madison has the most renters (61.1% rent).
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 | Raymond | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
4,610Highest |
2,676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
47.3±4.1Highest 6% above ME |
44.9±12.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Raymond 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% |
19.1%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Raymond and Starks 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% |
22.2%±5.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Raymond 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% |
49.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Raymond 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 |
$88,194±$20kHighest 18% above ME |
$61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
| Raymond 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 |
$395,800±$42kHighest 33% above ME |
$163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$965±$397 15% below ME |
$850±$218Lowest 25% below ME |
| Starks and Raymond 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 |
$3,139Highest 3% above ME |
$1,740 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.3%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Raymond 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
37 minHighest 50% above ME |
31 minLowest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.3%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Raymond and Madison 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 | — | #112 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | — |
| 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.