Compare towns
Canton vs Cornish vs Gorham vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most renters (20.8% rent).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Peru has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Canton | Cornish | Gorham | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,191 |
1,024Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,501 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +11.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Peru and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$68,686±$2k 8% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
— | $460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,135±$141 about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277 25% below ME |
$1,925 37% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 56 |
| High school in town | — | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.