Compare towns
Starks vs Union vs Strong
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 affordable homes ($149k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Union | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
| Strong 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Strong 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% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Union 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 |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Union 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Union 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.