What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peru has the highest household income ($67k).

Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Peru	Cherryfield
People
Population	1,501Highest	809Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.4%Highest ME: +2.6%	-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48±7.6Lowest 7% above ME	58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME
	Cherryfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1%	11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Peru and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.7%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4%	32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4%
	Cherryfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.7%Highest ME: 36.2%	21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%	1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Peru and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,827±$19kHighest 11% below ME	$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME
	Peru and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME	$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME
	Cherryfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$723±$16Highest 37% below ME	$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,799Lowest 41% below ME	$1,950Highest 36% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Cherryfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%	26.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME	1977Highest same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 18% above ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Cherryfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 56	Cherryfield Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.