Compare towns
Dixfield vs Peru vs Bradley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dixfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+23%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k median).
Bradley has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Dixfield | Peru | Bradley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,738Highest |
1,501Lowest |
1,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +23%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±12 4% below ME |
48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
42.6±9.7Lowest 5% below ME |
| Peru and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.9%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±5.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,608±$16k 6% below ME |
$66,827±$19kLowest 11% below ME |
$76,667±$28kHighest about the ME average |
| Bradley and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,500±$68k 42% below ME |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$201,800±$37kHighest 32% below ME |
| Bradley and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $534±$217Lowest 53% below ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
$1,088±$325Highest 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,400Highest 21% below ME |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,946 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.5%±20.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Dixfield and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bradley and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 56 | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.