Compare towns
Rome vs Smithfield vs Mount Vernon
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%).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Smithfield | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215 |
856Lowest |
1,716Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
47.1±6.2Lowest 5% above ME |
| Smithfield and Rome 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% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Mount Vernon 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Mount Vernon 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% |
34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Smithfield 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 |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
| Rome and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9Lowest 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 21% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 38 |
| 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.