Compare towns
Rome vs Brooklin vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Brooklin has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Rome | Brooklin | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215Highest |
869 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2Lowest 8% above ME |
49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$68,750±$8kLowest 8% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
| Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
| Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829 40% below ME |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
26 minLowest 4% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Brooklin Public Schools | — |
| 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.