Compare towns
Perham vs Starks vs Union
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 most affordable homes ($118k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Starks | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 326Lowest |
556 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below 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%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest 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%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Union 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest 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±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union 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 |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Starks 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 |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Perham 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 |
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.