Compare towns
Peru vs Jay
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%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Jay |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,501Lowest |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Peru and Jay 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% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Jay 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% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Peru and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay 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±$19kLowest 11% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
| Jay 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 |
$168,600±$27kHighest 43% below ME |
| Jay and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
$759±$141Highest 33% below ME |
| Jay and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Jay and Peru 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Peru and Jay 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 56 | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.