What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has the most expensive homes ($149k median).

Perham has the most people working from home (8.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Starks	Perham
People
Population	556Highest	326Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME	53±12.9Highest 18% above ME
	Perham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Perham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Perham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21%Highest ME: 36.2%	18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Perham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME	$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME
	Starks and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$148,500±$27kHighest 50% below ME	$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME
	Starks and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$301 7% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,348Lowest 56% below ME	$1,641Highest 46% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4%	33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Starks and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.2%Highest ME: 10.7%	2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 33% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	8.4%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Perham and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.