Compare towns
Perry vs Patten 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).
Patten has the most affordable homes ($128k 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 | Patten | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 744 |
1,154Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.8% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±11.4 about the ME average |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Patten 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% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Perry and Patten 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 |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,400±$13k 34% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% 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 | — | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,132Highest 3% above ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 6% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.4%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Perry 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.