Compare towns
Crystal vs Perham vs Topsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Perham has the most people working from home (8.4%).
Topsfield has the most expensive homes ($142k median).
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 | Crystal | Perham | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 247 |
326Highest |
214Lowest |
| Median age | 63.2±8.4 41% above ME |
53±12.9Lowest 18% above ME |
63.5±4.9Highest 42% above ME |
| Topsfield and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.1%±10.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.9%±12.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Crystal and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
14.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Perham and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME |
$48,125±$16kLowest 36% below ME |
| Perham and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$141,700±$32kHighest 52% below ME |
| Topsfield and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$922 37% above ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,641Highest 46% below ME |
$957 68% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Perham and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.8% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Perham and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | East Range CSD |
| 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.