Compare towns
Palmyra vs Wayne 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
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Mechanic Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Palmyra | Wayne | Mechanic Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209 |
1,101Lowest |
3,134Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
39.8±4.7 11% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±7.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$69,914±$12k 6% below ME |
| Wayne and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$270,900±$44k 9% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,076±$208Highest 6% below ME |
| Mechanic Falls and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,993 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #122 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 16 |
| High school 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.