Compare towns
Wade vs Franklin 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1951).
Franklin has the most expensive homes ($246k 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 | Franklin | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 244Lowest |
1,628Highest |
326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
46±9.3Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest 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% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Franklin 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% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Franklin 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 |
$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
| Franklin and Perham 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 |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Franklin and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $888±$306 22% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin 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% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin and Wade 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 | 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.