What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mexico has the most renters (23% rent).

Springfield has the most people working from home (9.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mexico	Springfield
People
Population	2,782Highest	310Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	43.4±2.8Lowest 3% below ME	52.4±7Highest 17% above ME
	Springfield and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1%	18.1%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mexico and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.6%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Springfield 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%	17.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8%	0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mexico and Springfield 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	$60,833±$23kHighest 19% below ME
	Springfield and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME	$122,500±$28kHighest 59% below ME
	Springfield and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,027±$275 10% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,961Highest 35% below ME	$1,067Lowest 65% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	19.7%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77%Lowest ME: 74.3%	96.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the ME average	30 minHighest 21% above ME
Work from home	5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9%	9.6%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Springfield and Mexico 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	—
School district	Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.