Compare towns
Cornish vs Peru vs Canton
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 youngest population (median age 39.2).
Peru has the oldest population (median age 48).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Cornish | Peru | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,024Lowest |
1,501Highest |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
| Peru and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 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+ | 15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest 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+ | 16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Cornish and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$165,000±$50kHighest 44% below ME |
| Canton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,925 37% below ME |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 56 | — |
| 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.