Compare towns
Perham vs Unity vs Springfield vs Burlington
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 oldest population (median age 53).
Unity has the most expensive homes ($207k median).
Springfield has the most homeowners (96.2%).
Burlington has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Springfield | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 326 |
1,858Highest |
310Lowest |
328 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
52.5±22.8 17% above ME |
| Perham and Burlington 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±9.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Burlington 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±7.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Burlington 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% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3% ME: 36.2% |
10.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
$48,750±$14kLowest 35% below ME |
| Unity 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±$9k 60% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
$99,700±$21kLowest 66% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73 23% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641 46% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,067 65% below ME |
$582Lowest 81% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
— | — |
| Unity 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
39 minHighest 60% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±6.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| 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.