Compare towns
Smithfield vs Mercer vs Fairfield
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).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Mercer | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856 |
718Lowest |
6,519Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43.1±4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Fairfield 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% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Mercer 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% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Fairfield 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 |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
$64,101±$11kLowest 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
| Smithfield and Mercer 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 |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,001±$101Lowest 12% below 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 |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,217 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Mercer 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 | — | — | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | — | — | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.