Compare towns

Wade vs Starks vs Mount Chase

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wade has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Starks has the highest household income ($64k).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).

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.

MeasureWadeStarksMount Chase
People
Population
244Lowest
556Highest
280
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-7.3%
ME: +2.6%
—
Median age
53.6±18.5Highest
20% above ME
46.7±9.4Lowest
4% above ME
49.9±10.9
11% above ME
Wade and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.4%±6.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
16.4%±4.4Lowest
ME: 18.1%
22.1%±10.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
Mount Chase and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
34.8%±10.8Highest
ME: 22.4%
20.3%±2.2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
28.9%±6.3
ME: 22.4%
Wade and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
33.2%Highest
ME: 36.2%
21%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
32.1%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.4%±4.6Lowest
ME: 5.8%
0.9%±2.3
ME: 5.8%
2.9%±5.7Highest
ME: 5.8%
Mount Chase and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$41,818±$25k
44% below ME
$63,500±$8kHighest
15% below ME
$41,711±$7kLowest
44% below ME
Starks and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$157,100±$109kHighest
47% below ME
$148,500±$27k
50% below ME
$115,700±$15kLowest
61% below ME
Wade and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,063±$301Lowest
7% below ME
$1,281±$1kHighest
12% above ME
Mount Chase and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,655Highest
45% below ME
$1,348Lowest
56% below ME
$1,548
49% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
45.5%±90.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
28.6%±100
ME: 48.4%
Starks and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
19.2%
ME: 10.7%
30.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
90%Highest
ME: 74.3%
90%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1951Lowest
26 yrs older than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
37% above ME
33 min
33% above ME
27 minLowest
9% above ME
Work from home
10.1%±6.8
ME: 15.9%
3.3%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
22.2%±12.8Highest
ME: 15.9%
Mount Chase and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.