Compare towns
Peru vs Strong 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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Strong | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501 |
1,249Lowest |
2,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
43.4±2.8Lowest 3% below ME |
| Peru and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Mexico 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong 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% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico 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±$19kHighest 11% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% 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 |
$183,900±$29kHighest 38% below ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
| Strong 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,027±$275Highest 10% below ME |
| Mexico and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,961Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mexico 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 58/MSAD 58 | 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.