Compare towns
Mercer vs Dresden vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Dresden has the most renters (11.8% rent).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Mercer | Dresden | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718Lowest |
1,645Highest |
856 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
$74,844±$22k about the ME average |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,500±$32kLowest 20% below ME |
$240,100±$29k 19% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
| Smithfield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
| Mercer and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 02 | — |
| High school 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.