Compare towns
Starks vs Rupert vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Rupert has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Rupert | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
676 |
718Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 20% above U.S. |
57.8±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Rupert 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 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mercer 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
42.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.9%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rupert 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 21% below U.S. |
$88,229±$36kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$71,107±$2k 12% below U.S. |
| Rupert and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$362,500±$63kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$238,500±$32k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Lowest 25% below U.S. |
— | $1,422±$249Highest about the U.S. average |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$4,594Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,970 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
18.5%±74Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Starks and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±9.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mercer and Rupert 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 |
U.S. 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.