Brook, 1890
Mexico’s story
103 years in pictures
Census counts: 148 in 1820, a low of 148 in 1820, 2,756 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 3 maps from 1927 on.
- 1923Mexico is settled
MexicoME
A town of 2,779, settled in 1923.
Population
2,779
2025 Census estimate · +0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$181K
−3.2% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
43.4
years
Jobs based here
823
Balanced
TownGrade
D
#131 of 142 in ME
Is Mexico a good place to live?
Mexico grades D overall, ranked 131st of 142 in Maine, mostly because of schools and incomes. Its schools rank behind 91% of the state's. The median household income is $56K, and 20% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, it is more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. Mexico’s property crime rate is 33.3 per 1,000 residents, above both the Maine town median (8.4) and the median of U.S. towns (13.1). No town in Maine scores lower than Mexico on hazard risk. The biggest park or preserve is Mexico Rec Park, at 27 acres.
What makes Mexico stand out
Where Mexico beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
7.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
RSU 10 schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Meroby Elementary School | PK–4 | 256 |
| Mountain Valley Middle School | 5–8 | 376 |
| Mountain Valley Community School | — |
Worth knowing · SchoolsD
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
How Mexico grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Mexico is from typical.
SchoolsDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Jobs & incomeC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.5 of 20; 13.2% of households have no carA−Open →HealthRumford Hospital 3 miles awayCOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landB−Open →History2 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life4.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateSnowy winters, 79° summer afternoons, 88″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.4; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Mexico: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mexico, and how to reach them.
PowerCentral Maine Power27.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMexico Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Mexico’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Maine you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMexico Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026
ZIP code0425704257 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Mexico.
Mexico gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Maine (mostly inland flooding).
OutdoorsB−
Mexico has set aside 0.2% of its land for conservation
22 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Only 5 of the 143 Maine towns we compare have a lower share of conserved land than Mexico. The trail density in Mexico is 0.9 miles per square mile.
#39for trails in ME
| Mexico | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.9 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.2% | 4.8% | 4.3% |
0.2%
conserved · 29 of 14,988 acres
22 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mexico Rec Park | — | 27 |
| 2. Mexico Veterans Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsD
Mexico earns a D for schools
Its public schools are run by RSU 10. One of its 4 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
9%of ME districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Valley Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 376 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ME on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade B
A typical Mexico home is worth about $181K
At 3 years of the county’s $60K median household income, the typical home (about $181K) costs less against local pay than in 95% of Maine towns; that ratio is one input to its B for cost of living. Values fell 3.2% in the past year while the Maine typical home rose 1.6%.
The typical Mexico home is worth about $181,000, 56% below the Maine typical home.
$181KZillow home value
| Mexico | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 77% | 81% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,027 a month | $1,108 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Mexico$181K
Maine$412K
−3.2%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
The FEMA risk score in Mexico is higher than in the typical Maine or U.S. town
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 99% of Maine towns; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on.
Mexico’s FEMA risk score is 81 of 100. Since 1979, 50 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Mexico.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCold waves
50
paid flood claims since 1979
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Mexico is less healthy than 71% of U.S. towns
Against the 7,651 U.S. towns with household incomes like Mexico’s, it is healthier than 53%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
Mexico beats the Maine average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 17% of adults report frequent physical distress in Mexico.
29%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Mexico | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Maine
0 better21 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Mexico | ME |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 14.4% | 10.7% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 12.6% | 9.8% |
| More smokers | 18.5% | 14.4% |
Rumford Hospital
3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
20th
percentile among ME towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Mexico has snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Rumford 1 Sse weather station records that 88 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 96% of U.S. towns. The Rumford 1 Sse weather station records that about 6 days a year reach 90°: fewer than most of the country, but more than 80% of Maine places with climate records.
Mexico has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 79° and January nights drop to 8°.
88″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–30°
Spring30–53°
Summer54–77°
Fall37–57°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Mexico’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Mexico for work: only 10% work in town. Jobs based in Mexico grew to 823 in 2023, 57 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Rumford (19%), Lewiston (8%) and Portland (4%).
10%work in town
| Mexico | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 12% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Mexico10%
Rumford19%
Lewiston8%
Portland4%
Augusta3%
27 mi
median commute distance
823
jobs based in Mexico
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Mexico
Mexico's reported crime rate is well above Maine's. Among 85 Maine towns, just 6 have a higher violent crime rate than Mexico. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Mexico2.5
Maine1
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Mexico33.3
Maine11.4
U.S.19.5
7
violent crimes reported in 2023
94
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Nearby attractions
All 30 attractions →Sugarloaf and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Mexico. Close and well known come first.
35 mi Ski areaSugarloaf137 runs · 2,769 ft vertical20 mi Ski areaSunday River146 runs · 2,322 ft vertical
27 mi Ski areaSaddleback Mountain72 runs · 1,847 ft vertical7 mi Ski areaBlack Mountain of Maine29 runs · 1,227 ft vertical16 mi Ski areaMount Abram43 runs · 1,037 ft vertical
38 mi Ski areaPleasant Mountain41 runs · 1,240 ft verticalSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Sugarloaf: Bubblecuffer, Public domain · Saddleback Mountain: petersent, Public domain · Pleasant Mountain: Denmarkmaine, CC BY-SA 3.0
_from_Saddleback_Mt_Maine.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mexico
20pages on Mexico
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 91% of ME districts · 4 schoolsSafety2.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthCBetter than ME on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$181K typical home · down 3.2% in a yearWork & commuteC−$56K median household income · 823 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Mexico; the nearest are
University of Maine at FarmingtonUniversity or college · Public · Farmington18.8 mi$11,308 in-state tuitionCentral Maine Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Auburn31.7 mi$4,140 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Mexico residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Maine.
About Mexico
Town in Maine, United States
Mexico, near Rumford, is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Mexico is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area. The population was 2,756 at the 2020 census. Mexico is a small mill town for the papermaking industry. It contains the census-designated place of the same name.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 24 sq mi
- Elevation
- 0 ft
- ZIP code
- 04257
- Area code
- 207
Mexico’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Mexico.
DixfieldRumfordPeruRoxburyCarthageMexico
How the neighbors grade
| Town | ME rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | #131 | D | B | — | D | C |
| Dixfield | — | — | B+ | — | C− | C |
| Rumford | #139 | D− | B− | C+ | D | D |
| Peru | — | — | A− | — | C− | C+ |
| Roxbury | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Carthage | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Dixfield and Peru have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Mexico, Dixfield and Peru report no FBI crime data of their own. Roxbury and Carthage aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Mexico with a neighbor →
Questions about Mexico
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mexico, ME a good place to live?
Mexico grades D overall, better than 10% of U.S. towns and #131 of 142 in Maine. It grades C for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Mexico, ME expensive?
That is 3 years of the area's median household income ($60,173 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
What is Mexico, ME known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Charles W. Walton and Minard Lafever Holman.