Compare towns
Peru vs Surry vs Enfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Enfield has the most homeowners (95.9%).
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 | Enfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501 |
1,836Highest |
1,462Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
49.8±5.4 11% above ME |
| Surry and Enfield 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% |
18.5%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Peru and Enfield 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% |
28%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Enfield 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% |
24% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Enfield 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 |
$62,667±$7kLowest 16% 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 |
$178,100±$22k 40% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16 37% below ME |
$969±$129Highest 15% below ME |
$425±$422Lowest 63% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$2,152Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
58.3%±64.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Enfield 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 minLowest 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Surry and Peru 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 | RSU 31/MSAD 31 |
| 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.