Compare towns
Wade vs Mapleton vs Ashland 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Ashland has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Perham has the most homeowners (92.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Ashland | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 244Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,080 |
326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
53±12.9 18% above ME |
| Wade and Ashland 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Perham 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Ashland 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Ashland 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$46,838±$15k 37% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$125,000±$49k 58% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Mapleton and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277 46% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,511Lowest 50% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Perham and Ashland 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
23.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.