What stands out worked out from the figures below

Industry has the most expensive homes ($206k median).

Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k 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.

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

Measure	Industry	Perham
People
Population	988Highest	326Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-15.2% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	40.6±10.7Lowest 9% below ME	53±12.9Highest 18% above ME
	Perham and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1%	19.6%±8.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Industry and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.3%±6.6Lowest ME: 22.4%	24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Perham and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Perham and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,056±$19kHighest 16% below ME	$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME
	Industry and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$205,600±$31kHighest 31% below ME	$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,049±$137 8% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,793Highest 41% below ME	$1,641Lowest 46% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4%	33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Industry and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	41 minHighest 67% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	7.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Industry 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

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.