Compare towns
Perry vs Beals vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Perry has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Perry | Beals | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 744Highest |
498Lowest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.8% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±11.4 about the ME average |
48±15.6Highest 7% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Beals and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Perry and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,056±$4kHighest 10% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,400±$13kLowest 34% below ME |
$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Beals and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,132Highest 3% above ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Perry and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 6% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Perry and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Perry Public Schools | Beals Public Schools | — |
| 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.