Compare towns
Starks vs Rome vs Blaine
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 renters (10% rent).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Blaine has the shortest commute (19 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 | Rome | Blaine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,215Highest |
706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME |
46.3±17Lowest 3% above ME |
| Rome 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% |
21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Blaine and Rome 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% |
24.7%±9.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±7.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Rome 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% |
39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Blaine and Rome 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 |
$77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$80,707±$24kHighest 8% above ME |
| Blaine and Rome 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 |
$329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
— |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
$691±$303Lowest 39% below ME |
| Rome 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 |
$1,829Highest 40% below ME |
$1,804 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Starks 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% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Rome and Blaine 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.