Compare towns
Canton vs Mapleton vs Perham 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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Peru has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
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 | Mapleton | Perham | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,191 |
1,884Highest |
326Lowest |
1,501 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
| Perham 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Perham 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
| Mapleton and Peru 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 |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$141,300±$38k 52% below ME |
| Mapleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
— | $723±$16Highest 37% below ME |
| Peru and Mapleton 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,799 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Perham 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 56 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.