Compare towns
Gray vs Mechanic Falls vs Ogunquit vs Poland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mechanic Falls has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Gray | Mechanic Falls | Ogunquit | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
3,134 |
1,379Lowest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39.8±4.7Lowest 11% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$69,914±$12kLowest 6% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$270,900±$44kLowest 9% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
— | $1,198±$128 5% above ME |
| Gray and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$2,993 about the ME average |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Poland 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #122 of 133 in ME | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 16 | — | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | — | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.