Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Cornish 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).
Cornish has the youngest population (median age 39.2).
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Mechanic Falls | Cornish | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,134 |
1,024Lowest |
5,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7 11% below ME |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
| Poland and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest 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+ | 16.4%±6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Poland and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.1% ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Poland and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,914±$12k 6% below ME |
$68,686±$2kLowest 8% below ME |
$85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
| Poland and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $270,900±$44kLowest 9% below ME |
— | $283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
| Poland and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
$1,135±$141 about the ME average |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,993Highest about the ME average |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Mechanic Falls 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% |
8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Mechanic Falls 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 | #122 of 133 in ME | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | — | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.