Compare towns
Perry vs Lagrange 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 highest household income ($82k).
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
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 | Lagrange | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 744Highest |
709Lowest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.8% ME: +2.6% |
-10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±11.4 about the ME average |
45.9±13.8Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Lagrange and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Perry and Lagrange 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 |
$58,417±$14kLowest 22% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,400±$13k 34% below ME |
$126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Mercer and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,132Highest 3% above ME |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange and Perry 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% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 6% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8Lowest 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 | — | — |
| 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.