Compare towns
Springfield vs Benton vs Lee vs Perham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Lee has the most people working from home (11.9%).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k 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.
| Measure | Springfield | Benton | Lee | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 310Lowest |
2,770Highest |
925 |
326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.4±7 17% above ME |
42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
| Perham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.3% ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
$61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME |
| Perham and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
$176,700±$23kHighest 40% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Benton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,758Highest 42% below ME |
$1,547 49% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 65.7%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #85 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.