Compare towns
Rome vs Millinocket 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%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Brooklin has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
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 | Millinocket | Brooklin | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,215 |
4,115Highest |
869 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2Lowest 8% above ME |
54.2±6.2 21% above ME |
49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Millinocket 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% |
16.1%±5.9 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% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Smithfield 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 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 |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$68,750±$8k 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 |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$242,800±$15k 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 |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$1,109±$358 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 |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$1,792 41% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 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% ME: 10.7% |
17.1%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% |
84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 4% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Millinocket Public Schools | Brooklin Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | None in town | — |
| 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.