Compare towns
Smithfield vs Chapman vs Friendship
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%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Friendship has the most expensive homes ($275k median).
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 | Chapman | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856 |
388Lowest |
1,213Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -0.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
55.5±6.9 24% above ME |
| Smithfield and Friendship 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% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Friendship 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% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman 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 |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$75,625±$22kLowest about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$275,000±$56kHighest 7% below ME |
| Friendship and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
— | $1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
| Friendship 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 |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,218 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield and Friendship 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.