Compare towns
Rome vs Lee 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%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($175k median).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Lee | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215Highest |
925 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2Lowest 8% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Lee 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 |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% 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±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
$174,500±$25kLowest 41% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
— | $1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
| Rome and Smithfield 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 |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 21% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — |
| 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.