Compare towns
Perham vs Mapleton vs Starks 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Mapleton | Starks | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 326 |
1,884Highest |
556 |
310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% 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%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Springfield 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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±$22k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks 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 |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
— |
| Starks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641 46% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,348 56% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Starks 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as 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 |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.