Compare towns

Springfield vs Mount Chase 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 expensive homes ($123k median).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Perham has the shortest commute (25 min average).

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.

MeasureSpringfieldMount ChasePerham
People
Population
310
280Lowest
326Highest
Median age
52.4±7
17% above ME
49.9±10.9Lowest
11% 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%
22.1%±10.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
19.6%±8.5
ME: 18.1%
Mount Chase and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.6%±5.4Lowest
ME: 22.4%
28.9%±6.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
24.5%±2.3
ME: 22.4%
Mount Chase and Perham 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%
32.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
18.7%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.6%±3.7Lowest
ME: 5.8%
2.9%±5.7Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.5%±1.9
ME: 5.8%
Mount Chase 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±$23k
19% below ME
$41,711±$7kLowest
44% below ME
$62,500±$22kHighest
16% below ME
Perham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$122,500±$28kHighest
59% below ME
$115,700±$15kLowest
61% below ME
$117,600±$9k
60% below ME
Springfield and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,281±$1k
12% above ME
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,067Lowest
65% below ME
$1,548
49% below ME
$1,641Highest
46% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent —
28.6%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
33.3%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
Perham and Mount Chase 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%
30.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
2.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.2%Highest
ME: 74.3%
90%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
92.5%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
10 yrs newer than ME
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
1976Lowest
1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
21% above ME
27 min
9% above ME
25 minLowest
about the ME average
Work from home
9.6%±5.2
ME: 15.9%
22.2%±12.8Highest
ME: 15.9%
8.4%±7.2Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Mount Chase and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.