What stands out worked out from the figures below

Perham has the most people working from home (8.4%).

Anson has the highest household income ($88k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Perham	Anson
People
Population	326Lowest	680Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-9.6% ME: +2.6%
Median age	53±12.9Highest 18% above ME	43.3±15.2Lowest 3% below ME
	Perham and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±8.5Lowest ME: 18.1%	26.2%±5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Anson and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4%	8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.7%Highest ME: 36.2%	5.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%	0%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Perham and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME	$87,770±$61kHighest 17% above ME
	Anson and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$117,600±$9kHighest 60% below ME	$100,400±$28kLowest 66% below ME
	Perham and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$914±$247 20% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,641Highest 46% below ME	$1,207Lowest 60% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	31.8%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Perham and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	8.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	60.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME	1950Lowest 27 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	31 minHighest 26% above ME
Work from home	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%	0%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Anson 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

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.