Compare towns
Smithfield vs Lee vs Oakland
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%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($175k median).
Oakland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
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 | Lee | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
925 |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
| Smithfield and Lee 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% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Lee 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% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Lee 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% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Lee 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 |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$174,500±$25kLowest 41% below ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
— | $939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland 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 |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,439 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Oakland 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% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
27 minLowest 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Lee 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 | — | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.2 |
| 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.