Compare towns
Palmyra vs Smithfield vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Chesterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.8%).
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 | Palmyra | Smithfield | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
856Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Smithfield and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Smithfield and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.