Compare towns
Smithfield vs Kittery vs Rome
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 affordable homes ($243k median).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
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 | Kittery | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
10,473Highest |
1,215 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
48.3±9.2 8% 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 | 10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Kittery 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 |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$77,639±$25kLowest 4% above ME |
| Smithfield and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,150±$56 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,866 6% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest 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 | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Smithfield 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 | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Robert W Traip Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.