Compare towns
Perham vs Wade vs Waldo
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).
Wade has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Wade | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 326 |
244Lowest |
926Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53±12.9 18% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below 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%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest 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% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Perham and Waldo 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 |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
| Waldo and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641 46% below ME |
$1,655Highest 45% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo 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% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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.