What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).

Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Starks	Wheelock
People
Population	556Lowest	717Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.7±9.4Lowest 20% above U.S.	51±5.6Highest 31% above U.S.
	Wheelock 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 U.S.: 22%	18.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wheelock and Starks 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%	29.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wheelock 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.	$64,792±$20kHighest 20% below U.S.
	Wheelock 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 55% below U.S.	$189,600±$37kHighest 43% below U.S.
	Wheelock and Starks 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.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,348Lowest 57% below U.S.	$2,937Highest 6% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Starks and Wheelock 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%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Lowest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wheelock and Starks 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

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.