Compare towns
Perham vs Jackson vs Wade
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).
Jackson has the most people working from home (15.3%).
Wade has the oldest housing (typical home built 1951).
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 | Jackson | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 326 |
567Highest |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.3% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53±12.9 18% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade and Perham 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% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Jackson 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% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Perham and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
| Jackson 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 |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
| Jackson and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$12 45% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Jackson 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% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson and Wade 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 | 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.