Compare towns
Peru vs Lee 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 highest household income ($67k).
Lee has the most people working from home (11.9%).
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 | Lee | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501 |
925Lowest |
2,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
51.5±11.5Highest 15% above ME |
43.4±2.8Lowest 3% below ME |
| Lee and Peru 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% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lee and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1% ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,827±$19kHighest 11% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$55,727±$9k 25% below ME |
| Peru and Mexico 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 |
$174,500±$25kHighest 41% below ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
| Lee 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 |
— | $1,027±$275Highest 10% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799 41% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,961Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Mexico 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% |
19.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Peru 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 30/MSAD 30 | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None 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.