Compare towns

Starks vs Unity

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 oldest population (median age 46.7).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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.

MeasureStarksUnity
People
Population
556Lowest
1,858Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-7.3%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+9.2%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
46.7±9.4Highest
4% above ME
27.5±2.2Lowest
39% below ME
Kids under 18
16.4%±4.4Highest
ME: 18.1%
14%±3.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Starks and Unity 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%
11.8%±3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
21%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
22.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.9%±2.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
30%±4.3Highest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$63,500±$8kHighest
15% below ME
$62,857±$6kLowest
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±$27kLowest
50% below ME
$206,900±$28kHighest
30% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,063±$301Highest
7% below ME
$873±$73Lowest
23% below ME
Starks and Unity 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
$2,510Highest
17% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.5%±90.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
44.8%±13Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Starks and Unity 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%
17.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90%Highest
ME: 74.3%
72.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1983Lowest
6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
33% above ME
21 minLowest
14% below ME
Work from home
3.3%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
15.8%±7.6Highest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
School district — RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center
High school in town — Ecology Learning Ctr
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.