Compare towns
Smithfield vs Beals vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Smithfield | Beals | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Highest |
498Lowest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Smithfield and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$238,500±$32kLowest 20% below ME |
| Beals and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Beals 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.