Compare towns
Wade vs Appleton vs Perham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wade has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
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 | Wade | Appleton | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 244Lowest |
1,360Highest |
326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
53±12.9 18% above ME |
| Wade and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME |
| Perham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Appleton and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| 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.