Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Perham vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Franklin has the most expensive homes ($246k 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 | Mars Hill | Perham | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398 |
326Lowest |
1,628Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Perham and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
| Franklin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
— | $888±$306Highest 22% below ME |
| Franklin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843 39% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — | — |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0 |
— | — |
| 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.