Compare towns
Wade vs Starks 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 people working from home (10.1%).
Starks has the youngest population (median age 46.7).
Perham has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Starks | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 244Lowest |
556Highest |
326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
46.7±9.4Lowest 4% 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%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest 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% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Perham 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% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 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 | $41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 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 | $157,100±$109kHighest 47% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Wade and Starks 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 | $1,655Highest 45% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 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 | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% 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 |
33 min 33% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest 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 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.