Compare towns
Peru vs Exeter 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 shortest commute (29 min average).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
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 | Exeter | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501Highest |
1,093Lowest |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Exeter 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Exeter 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±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$166,700±$39kHighest 44% below ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
| Exeter and Canton 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 |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Exeter and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799 41% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% 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 |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Exeter 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 |
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.