Compare towns
Mercer vs Sidney 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 homeowners (92.1%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Sidney | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718Lowest |
4,790Highest |
856 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mercer 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Smithfield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield and Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
| Mercer and Sidney 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.