Compare towns
Springfield vs Jay vs Perham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most people working from home (9.6%).
Jay has the most expensive homes ($169k median).
Perham has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
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 | Jay | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 310Lowest |
4,657Highest |
326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.4±7 17% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below 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%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Springfield 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% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
| Jay and Perham 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 |
$168,600±$27kHighest 43% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Jay and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $759±$141 33% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Jay 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.6%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Springfield and Perham 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 73 | — |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.