Compare towns
Starks vs Waldo vs New Vineyard
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).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
New Vineyard has the most kids (24.5% under 18).
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 | Waldo | New Vineyard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
926Highest |
607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
47.5±9.5Highest 6% above ME |
| New Vineyard 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% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.5%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Vineyard and Waldo 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$61,806±$19kLowest 17% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
$190,000±$76k 36% below ME |
| Waldo and New Vineyard 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 |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$925±$490Lowest 19% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$1,623 47% below ME |
$2,136Highest 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±5.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and New Vineyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| New Vineyard and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| 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.