Compare towns
Dixfield vs Pittston vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dixfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Peru has the most people working from home (9.2%).
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 | Pittston | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,300 |
3,093Highest |
1,501Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.9±4.4Highest 11% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
| Dixfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Peru and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.6% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,613±$9k 6% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$66,827±$19kLowest 11% below ME |
| Pittston and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $160,900±$24k 46% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
| Pittston and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $658±$287Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
| Pittston and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,324Highest 23% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±20.3 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 5%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Peru and Dixfield 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 | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 56 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 56 |
| High school in town | Dirigo High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.