Compare towns
Peru vs Surry vs Canton
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).
Surry has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Surry | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501 |
1,836Highest |
1,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
| Surry and Peru 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% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Canton 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Canton 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% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Canton 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 |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Surry 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 |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16 37% below ME |
$969±$129Highest 15% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Surry 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% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 56 | Surry Public Schools | — |
| 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.