Compare towns
Rome vs Waterville 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%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Waterville | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215 |
17,077Highest |
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±9.2 8% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% 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% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Waterville 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,109±$358 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 | $1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Waterville 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Waterville Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Waterville Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.