Compare towns
Perham vs Appleton vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Perham has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Springfield has the most homeowners (96.2%).
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 | Perham | Appleton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 326 |
1,360Highest |
310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.4±7 17% 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 | 19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 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+ | 24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton 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 |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
| Perham and Springfield 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 |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641 46% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Appleton and Perham 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% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.