Compare towns
Peru vs Wayne vs Canton 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 most kids (20.8% under 18).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Mexico has the most affordable homes ($111k median).
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 | Wayne | Canton | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,501 |
1,101Lowest |
1,191 |
2,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
43.4±2.8 3% below ME |
| Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Mexico 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$55,727±$9k 25% below ME |
| Wayne 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±$38k 52% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16 37% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,027±$275Highest 10% below ME |
| Mexico and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$1,961 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Mexico 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Canton 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 38 | — | 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 | 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.