Compare towns
Peru vs Windham 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 oldest population (median age 48).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
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 | Windham | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,501 |
19,188Highest |
1,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
| Peru and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest 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%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham and Peru 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $723±$16 37% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 56 | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.