Compare towns
Peru vs Danforth vs Weston vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the highest household income ($67k).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Weston has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Danforth | Weston | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,501Highest |
666 |
275Lowest |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
— | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
53.1±4.4 19% above ME |
55.1±14Highest 23% above ME |
41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
| Weston and Danforth 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% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±7.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Canton 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% |
26.1%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.3% ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Canton 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 |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$58,942±$7k 21% below ME |
$52,458±$35k 30% below ME |
| Peru and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,300±$38k 52% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$171,700±$26kHighest 42% below ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
| Weston and Canton 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 |
$629±$29 45% below ME |
— | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799 41% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,500 51% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Weston and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±12.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 56 | — | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.