Compare towns
Perham vs Peru 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).
Peru has the most expensive homes ($141k median).
Springfield has the most people working from home (9.6%).
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 | Peru | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 326 |
1,501Highest |
310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
48±7.6Lowest 7% 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% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru 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% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Peru 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% |
21.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Peru 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 |
$66,827±$19kHighest 11% below ME |
$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME |
| Peru 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 |
$141,300±$38kHighest 52% below ME |
$122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
| Peru and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $723±$16 37% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641 46% below ME |
$1,799Highest 41% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Perham and Peru 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% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Springfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 56 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.