Compare towns
Smithfield vs Millinocket vs Mercer
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).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Millinocket | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856 |
4,115Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
54.2±6.2 21% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Smithfield and Millinocket 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% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Millinocket 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 |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% 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 |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above 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 |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield and Millinocket 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% |
17.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Millinocket Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.