Compare towns
Poland vs Gray 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
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Mechanic Falls has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
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 | Poland | Gray | Mechanic Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,954 |
8,429Highest |
3,134Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39.8±4.7Lowest 11% below ME |
| Poland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$69,914±$12kLowest 6% below ME |
| Gray and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$270,900±$44kLowest 9% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
| Gray and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,993 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±20.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Gray 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #122 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Poland Regional H S | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
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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.