Compare towns
Knox vs Perham vs Thorndike
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most renters (19.9% rent).
Perham has the oldest population (median age 53).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Knox | Perham | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825 |
326Lowest |
1,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Perham and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Knox and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26k 46% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$205,600±$88kHighest 31% below ME |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
— | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thorndike and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | — | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.