Compare towns
Sumner vs Mount Chase vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Peru has the highest household income ($67k).
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 | Sumner | Mount Chase | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845 |
280Lowest |
1,501Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
48±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
| Sumner and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Peru and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$66,827±$19kHighest 11% below ME |
| Peru and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,000±$73kHighest 49% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$141,300±$38k 52% below ME |
| Sumner and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
$723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
| Mount Chase and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,548Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,799 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Chase and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 10 | — | RSU 56 |
| High school 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.