Compare towns
Mercer vs Millinocket vs Ogunquit 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 the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Millinocket | Ogunquit | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 718Lowest |
4,115Highest |
1,379 |
856 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
54.2±6.2 21% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
55.8±3.5 25% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Smithfield 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% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±8.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Millinocket 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$107,917±$27k 44% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
— | $1,109±$358 about the ME average |
| Mercer and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,970 35% below ME |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,866 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
17.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Millinocket Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.