What stands out worked out from the figures below

Perham has the most people working from home (8.4%).

Starks has the most expensive homes ($149k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Perham	Starks
People
Population	326Lowest	556Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-7.3% ME: +2.6%
Median age	53±12.9Highest 18% above ME	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME
	Perham and Starks 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%	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Perham and Starks 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%	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Perham and Starks 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%	21%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Perham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME	$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME
	Starks 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	$148,500±$27kHighest 50% below ME
	Starks and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,063±$301 7% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,641Highest 46% below ME	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±100Lowest 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%	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	90%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	33 minHighest 33% above ME
Work from home	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Starks 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

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.