What stands out worked out from the figures below

Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).

Industry has the most expensive homes ($206k 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.

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

Measure	Perham	Industry
People
Population	326Lowest	988Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-15.2% ME: +2.6%
Median age	53±12.9Highest 18% above ME	40.6±10.7Lowest 9% below ME
	Perham and Industry 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%	24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1%
	Industry 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%	22.3%±6.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Perham and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%	34.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%	2%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Perham and Industry 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	$63,056±$19kHighest 16% below ME
	Industry 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±$9kLowest 60% below ME	$205,600±$31kHighest 31% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,049±$137 8% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,641Lowest 46% below ME	$1,793Highest 41% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4%
	Industry 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%	6.9%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	86%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	41 minHighest 67% above ME
Work from home	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%	7.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Industry 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.