Compare towns
Starks vs Readfield vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Readfield | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
2,651Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield 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±$8k 15% below ME |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$988±$111Lowest 13% below ME |
| Readfield 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Ludlow 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.