Compare towns
Fairfield vs Mapleton vs Smithfield vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Fairfield | Mapleton | Smithfield | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
1,884 |
856Lowest |
4,932 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,101±$11kLowest 14% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
| Smithfield and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,001±$101 12% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
| Warren and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,217 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Warren and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Fairfield 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 | #47 of 133 in ME | — | — | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.