Compare towns
Mexico 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
Mexico has the most affordable homes ($111k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 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 | Gray | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,782 |
8,429Highest |
2,770Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.8Highest 3% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,727±$9kLowest 25% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$275Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,961 35% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Benton 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 | #130 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #85 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 | 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.