Compare towns
Starks vs Troy vs Unity 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).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Troy | Unity | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
984 |
1,858Highest |
444Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
| Troy 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% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Troy 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% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Troy 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% ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
| Starks and Unity 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 |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
| Troy and Unity 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 |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
| Troy 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 |
$1,752 42% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Troy 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% |
17.8% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.