Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Gray vs Benton
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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Benton has the most affordable homes ($177k 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 | Mechanic Falls | Gray | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,134 |
8,429Highest |
2,770Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7Lowest 11% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
42.8±6 4% below ME |
| Gray and Benton 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% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls and Benton 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Gray 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Benton 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $270,900±$44k 9% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,993 about the ME average |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #85 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
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| 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.