Compare towns
Starks vs Sangerville vs Danforth vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sangerville has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Mercer has the most expensive homes ($239k median).
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 | Sangerville | Danforth | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
1,136Highest |
452Lowest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
— | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
53.9±6.9Highest 20% above ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Sangerville and Danforth 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% |
14.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Sangerville 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% |
12.6% ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Sangerville and Danforth 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 |
$50,313±$14k 33% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
| Mercer 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±$27k 50% below ME |
$124,000±$40k 58% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$850±$136 25% below ME |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| 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 56% below ME |
$1,349 56% below ME |
— | $1,970Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.6%±27.7 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Sangerville 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% |
13.5% ME: 10.7% |
12%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
20 minLowest 18% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Sangerville 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 | 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.