Compare towns
Peru vs Unity vs Canton vs Sumner
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).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Canton | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,501 |
1,858Highest |
1,191 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 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%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner 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% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,827±$19kHighest 11% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Peru and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Unity and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16 37% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 56 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.