Compare towns
Fairfield vs Unity vs Smithfield
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 kids (19.8% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
1,858 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4 4% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Unity 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
| Smithfield and Unity 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,217Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Unity 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.