Compare towns
Peru vs Unity vs Dixfield 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).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Dixfield has the highest household income ($71k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
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 | Dixfield | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,501 |
1,858 |
2,300Highest |
1,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.9±4.4Highest 11% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
| Dixfield 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% |
16.9%±3.9 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%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$70,613±$9kHighest 6% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Dixfield 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$160,900±$24k 46% below ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% 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 |
$658±$287 42% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,324 23% below ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
48%±20.3 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Dixfield 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% |
14% ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.5% ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
5%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Unity 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 56 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Dirigo High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.