Compare towns
Jackson vs Mapleton 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
Jackson has the most people working from home (15.3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Wade has the oldest housing (typical home built 1951).
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 | Jackson | Mapleton | Perham | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567 |
1,884Highest |
326 |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% 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 | 17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 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+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
| Mapleton and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Highest 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | — |
| Jackson and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 min 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.

