What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has the most expensive homes ($149k median).

Springfield has the most people working from home (9.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Starks	Springfield
People
Population	556Highest	310Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME	52.4±7Highest 17% above ME
	Springfield 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%	18.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Springfield 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%	21.6%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Springfield 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%Highest ME: 36.2%	17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%	0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Starks and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME	$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME
	Starks and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$148,500±$27kHighest 50% below ME	$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME
	Starks and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$301 7% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,348Highest 56% below ME	$1,067Lowest 65% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Lowest ME: 74.3%	96.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 33% above ME	30 minLowest 21% above ME
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	9.6%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Springfield and Starks 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

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.