Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Exeter 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).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Exeter | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,134 |
1,093Lowest |
5,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7Lowest 11% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Exeter and Poland 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.6% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Poland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,914±$12kLowest 6% below ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
| Poland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $270,900±$44k 9% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% 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±$208 6% below ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and Mechanic Falls 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Exeter 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.