Compare towns
Peru vs Exeter vs Enfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.4%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Enfield has the most expensive homes ($178k 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 | Exeter | Enfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501Highest |
1,093Lowest |
1,462 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-10.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
49.8±5.4 11% above ME |
| Exeter and Enfield 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% |
18.5%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Enfield 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% |
28%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Enfield 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% |
24%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$62,667±$7kLowest 16% 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±$39k 44% below ME |
$178,100±$22kHighest 40% below ME |
| Enfield and Exeter 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 |
$425±$422Lowest 63% 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 |
$2,152Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
58.3%±64.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Enfield 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
95.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
27 minLowest 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 56 | — | RSU 31/MSAD 31 |
| High school in town | None 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.