Compare towns
Starks vs Thomaston vs Blaine
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thomaston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Blaine has the most people working from home (6.5%).
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 | Thomaston | Blaine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
2,769Highest |
706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
46.3±17Lowest 3% above ME |
| Thomaston 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% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Blaine and Thomaston 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±7.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$80,707±$24kHighest 8% above ME |
| Blaine 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±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
— |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$691±$303Lowest 39% below ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$1,804 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston 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% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Blaine and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 13 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.