What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashland has the most renters (33.9% rent).

Perham has the most people working from home (8.4%).

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	Ashland	Perham
People
Population	1,080Highest	326Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.7% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	53.4±9.1Highest 19% above ME	53±12.9Lowest 18% above ME
	Ashland and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%	19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Perham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	32.2%±8Highest ME: 22.4%	24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Ashland and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	18.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%	2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Ashland and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$46,838±$15kLowest 37% below ME	$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME
	Perham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$125,000±$49kHighest 58% below ME	$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME
	Ashland and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,511Lowest 50% below ME	$1,641Highest 46% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	25.7%±27.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Perham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	23.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 14% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.