Compare towns
Mexico vs Ogunquit vs Exeter vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mexico has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Calais has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Mexico | Ogunquit | Exeter | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,142 |
1,379 |
1,093Lowest |
3,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +28.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mexico and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $50,972±$7kLowest 32% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $108,700±$11kLowest 63% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $972±$310Lowest 15% below ME |
— | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,010±$199Highest 11% below ME |
| Calais and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,944 36% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.5%±20Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Mexico and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 24.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
21.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #130 of 133 in ME | — | — | #48 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | — | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | — | — | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.0 |
| 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.