Compare towns
Canton vs Jay vs Surry vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Surry has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k 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 | Canton | Jay | Surry | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,191Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,836 |
1,501 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
| Surry and Peru 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% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Canton 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% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
| Surry and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
$969±$129Highest 15% below ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
| Surry and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277Highest 25% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Surry 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 73 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 56 |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.