Compare towns
Peru vs Gorham vs Dixfield
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 affordable homes ($141k median).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Dixfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+23%).
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 | Gorham | Dixfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,738 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+23%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43±12 4% below ME |
| Peru and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Peru 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±5.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,827±$19kLowest 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$70,608±$16k 6% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$171,500±$68k 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16 37% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$534±$217Lowest 53% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,400 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±20.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Dixfield 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
22 minLowest 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 56 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.