Compare towns
Durham vs Perham vs Wade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Wade has the most renters (21.7% rent).
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 | Durham | Perham | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Highest |
326 |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
53±12.9 18% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | — |
| 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.