Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Sumner vs Oxford
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 expensive homes ($271k median).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Oxford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
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 | Sumner | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,134 |
845Lowest |
4,333Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7Lowest 11% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
40.5±2.7 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls and Oxford 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.6% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mechanic Falls and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,914±$12kHighest 6% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$58,571±$24k 22% below ME |
| Mechanic Falls and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $270,900±$44kHighest 9% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$194,200±$8k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,076±$208Highest 6% below ME |
— | $977±$506Lowest 14% below ME |
| Mechanic Falls and Oxford 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±23.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Oxford 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Oxford 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 | — | #127 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | RSU 10 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.