What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Island Falls has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Island Falls
People
Population	326Lowest	768Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-9.4% ME: +2.6%
Median age	53±12.9Highest 18% above ME	50.7±10.6Lowest 13% above ME
	Perham and Island Falls 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%	20.7%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1%
	Island Falls and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4%	26.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Island Falls 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%Highest ME: 36.2%	12.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Island Falls 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	$56,328±$8kLowest 25% below ME
	Perham and Island Falls 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	$108,300±$25kLowest 63% below ME
	Perham and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$636±$124 44% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,641Lowest 46% below ME	$1,720Highest 43% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	17.9%±51.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Perham and Island Falls 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%	20.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 1 yr older than ME	1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	21 minLowest 16% below ME
Work from home	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%	6.7%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Island Falls 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.