Compare towns
Perham vs Solon 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).
Solon has the most expensive homes ($184k median).
Wade has the most renters (21.7% rent).
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 | Solon | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 326 |
963Highest |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -7.1% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53±12.9 18% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Solon 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% |
23.9%±3.6Lowest 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% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
33.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Perham and Solon 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 |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
| Solon 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 |
$183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
| Solon and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $915±$100 20% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,854Highest 39% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Solon 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% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wade and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | — |
| 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.