Compare towns
Peru vs Lee vs Florida
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Lee has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Florida has the most affordable homes ($247k median).
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 | Peru | Lee | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 630Lowest |
5,719Highest |
668 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8Lowest 32% above MA |
55.2±5.8 38% above MA |
56.1±4.4Highest 40% above MA |
| Florida and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Peru and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28% MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,750±$18kHighest 13% below MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$86,875±$17k 16% below MA |
| Peru and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,400±$15k 52% below MA |
$352,700±$19kHighest 37% below MA |
$246,800±$19kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,375±$212Highest 22% below MA |
$867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,805 36% below MA |
$3,980Highest 34% below MA |
$1,894Lowest 68% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
16.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Lee and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
26 min 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lee and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Lee | Florida |
| High school in town | — | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.