Compare towns
Carthage vs Mexico vs Etna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carthage has the most people working from home (10%).
Mexico has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Etna has the most expensive homes ($183k 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 | Carthage | Mexico | Etna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845Lowest |
2,782Highest |
1,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±10.9 4% below ME |
43.4±2.8Highest 3% below ME |
41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME |
| Mexico and Carthage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mexico and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.4% ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
13.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico and Carthage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,107±$18kHighest 6% above ME |
$55,727±$9kLowest 25% below ME |
$72,379±$16k 3% below ME |
| Carthage and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $144,300±$41k 51% below ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
$183,000±$49kHighest 38% below ME |
| Etna and Carthage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $811±$262Lowest 29% below ME |
$1,027±$275Highest 10% below ME |
— |
| Mexico and Carthage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,239Lowest 59% below ME |
$1,961Highest 35% below ME |
$1,745 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±88Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1% ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Carthage and Mexico 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 | — | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.