Compare towns
Perry vs Prospect 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 people working from home (23.4%).
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Prospect | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 744 |
923Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±11.4Highest about the ME average |
45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Perry and Prospect 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% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect 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% |
19.8%±1.7Lowest 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% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Perry and Prospect 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 |
$81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
| Perry and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,400±$13kLowest 34% below ME |
$196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Mercer and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,107±$61Lowest about the ME average |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,132Highest 3% above ME |
$1,979 35% below ME |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Prospect 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 6% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest 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 Our Story | 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.