What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Anson has the most renters (20.7% rent).

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	2,331Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-8.8% ME: +2.6%
Median age	53±12.9Highest 18% above ME	46.7±6.2Lowest 4% above 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%	22.1%±5.6Highest 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%	18.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Perham and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.7%Highest ME: 36.2%	11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.2%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8%
	Anson and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME	$52,474±$21kLowest 30% below ME
	Perham and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME	$117,800±$14kHighest 60% below ME
	Anson and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$928±$62 19% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,641Highest 46% below ME	$1,572Lowest 48% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	20.6%±23.9Lowest 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%	8.8%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	79.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME	1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	33 minHighest 32% above ME
Work from home	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%	3%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	RSU 74/MSAD 74
High school in town	—	Carrabec High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.6
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.