Compare towns
Oxford vs Sumner vs Mechanic Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oxford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Mechanic Falls has the most expensive homes ($271k 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 | Oxford | Sumner | Mechanic Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,333Highest |
845Lowest |
3,134 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.7 10% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
39.8±4.7Lowest 11% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±7.1Highest 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+ | 19%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.4Highest 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 | $58,571±$24k 22% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$69,914±$12kHighest 6% 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 | $194,200±$8k 35% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$270,900±$44kHighest 9% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$506Lowest 14% below ME |
— | $1,076±$208Highest 6% 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 | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,993Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±23.2 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±20.9Lowest 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 | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.6%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±4.9Lowest 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 | #127 of 133 in ME | — | #122 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 10 | RSU 16 |
| 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.