Compare towns
Smithfield vs Biddeford vs Denmark
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 most people working from home (22%).
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
Denmark has the most homeowners (92.7%).
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 | Biddeford | Denmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
22,498Highest |
1,054 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
54.4±5 21% above ME |
| Smithfield and Denmark 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% |
15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$64,167±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$250,000±$68k 16% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,409±$207Highest 24% above ME |
| Denmark and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,866 6% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Smithfield 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% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Biddeford 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 | — | #111 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Biddeford Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Biddeford High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1 |
— |
| 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.