Compare towns
Peru vs Dixfield vs Mexico
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 most people working from home (9.2%).
Dixfield has the most expensive homes ($161k median).
Mexico has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Peru | Dixfield | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501Lowest |
2,300 |
2,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
49.9±4.4Highest 11% above ME |
43.4±2.8Lowest 3% below ME |
| Dixfield 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% |
16.9%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Peru and Dixfield 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% |
25.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
$70,613±$9kHighest 6% below ME |
$55,727±$9kLowest 25% below ME |
| Dixfield and Peru 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 |
$160,900±$24kHighest 46% below ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
| Dixfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16 37% below ME |
$658±$287Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,027±$275Highest 10% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,324Highest 23% below ME |
$1,961 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48%±20.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mexico and Dixfield 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% |
14% ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.5% ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Peru and Mexico 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 | — | — | #130 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 56 | RSU 56 | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dirigo High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.