Compare towns
Wade vs Sumner 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).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Sumner | Perham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 244Lowest |
845Highest |
326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.9% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5 20% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
53±12.9Lowest 18% above ME |
| Sumner and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Sumner 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% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Sumner 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Perham and Sumner 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME |
| Perham and Sumner 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 |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
| Wade and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 37% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | — |
| 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.