Compare towns
Penobscot vs Perham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Penobscot has the most expensive homes ($296k 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.
| Measure | Penobscot | Perham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,154Highest |
326Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
53±12.9Lowest 18% above ME |
| Penobscot and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Perham and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14kHighest 15% below ME |
$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
| Penobscot and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852Highest 39% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| 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.