Compare towns
Perham vs Patten vs Union 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).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k 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 | Patten | Union | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 326 |
1,154 |
2,663Highest |
310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53±12.9 18% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
| Patten and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Perham 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.7% ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Union 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 |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
| Union 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 |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641 46% below ME |
$1,199 61% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Patten 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| 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.