Compare towns
Perham vs Peru vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Peru has the youngest population (median age 48).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Perham | Peru | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 326Lowest |
1,501Highest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53±12.9 18% above ME |
48±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.7% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$66,827±$19kHighest 11% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Peru and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$141,300±$38k 52% below ME |
$150,000±$73kHighest 49% below ME |
| Sumner and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $723±$16 37% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,799 41% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 |
| 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.