Compare towns
Starks vs Thomaston vs Madison
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 most homeowners (90%).
Thomaston has the most expensive homes ($272k median).
Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
2,769Highest |
2,676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
44.9±12.3Lowest about the ME average |
| 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%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Madison 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% |
30.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Thomaston 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$61,698±$20k 17% below ME |
| Starks and Madison 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 |
$163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$850±$218Lowest 25% 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 |
$1,740 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1953 24 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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.