Compare towns
Starks vs Westfield vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Westfield has the most kids (27.1% under 18).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Westfield | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
536Lowest |
718Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
44±19.9 13% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Starks and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Westfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±11.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.9%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westfield and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$72,500±$30kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$71,107±$2k 12% below U.S. |
| Westfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$301,400±$47kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$238,500±$32k 28% below U.S. |
| Westfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 25% below U.S. |
$863±$187Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,422±$249Highest about the U.S. average |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$4,388Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,970 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
18.5%±74Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mercer and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.