Compare towns
Medford vs Springfield vs Perham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medford has the most affordable homes ($88k median).
Springfield has the most people working from home (9.6%).
Perham has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
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 | Medford | Springfield | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 222Lowest |
310 |
326Highest |
| Median age | 50.5±8.8Lowest 13% above ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
| Perham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 3.2%±11.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±9.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
17.3% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Medford and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,476±$14kHighest 12% below ME |
$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
| Medford and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $88,200±$27kLowest 70% below ME |
$122,500±$28kHighest 59% below ME |
$117,600±$9k 60% below ME |
| Springfield and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,250 59% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,641Highest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— | 33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
96.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 6% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.7%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Springfield and Perham 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 | 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.