Compare towns
Wade vs Crystal 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 expensive homes ($157k median).
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
Perham has the highest household income ($63k).
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 | Crystal | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 244Lowest |
247 |
326Highest |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5 20% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
53±12.9Lowest 18% above ME |
| Crystal and Wade 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% |
16.2%±11.8Lowest 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%±10.8 ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Crystal and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Perham and Wade 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 |
$48,125±$13k 36% below ME |
$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME |
| Perham and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $157,100±$109kHighest 47% below ME |
$129,200±$60k 56% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Wade and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,563±$922 37% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655Highest 45% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Crystal 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% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Wade and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.