Compare towns
Starks vs Temple vs Ludlow
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 highest household income ($64k).
Temple has the most kids (32.8% under 18).
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 | Temple | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
824Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
34±14Lowest 24% below ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
| Starks and Ludlow 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% |
32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Temple 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% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ludlow and Temple 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 |
$56,087±$2kLowest 25% below ME |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
| Starks and Ludlow 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 |
$210,200±$79kHighest 29% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Temple and Starks 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 |
$1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$988±$111Lowest 13% below ME |
| Temple 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 |
$2,367Highest 22% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.3%±70.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Temple 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±8.4 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Ludlow and Temple 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.