Compare towns
Smithfield vs Millinocket vs Waterford
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).
Waterford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
4,115Highest |
1,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
+1.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
54.2±6.2Lowest 21% above ME |
54.3±1.6 21% above ME |
| Smithfield and Waterford 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%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Millinocket and Waterford 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% |
27.7%±1.7Lowest 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% |
30.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterford and Millinocket 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 |
$66,071±$17k 12% below ME |
| Smithfield and Waterford 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 |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$273,800±$36kHighest 8% below ME |
| Waterford and Smithfield 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 |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$870±$405 24% below ME |
| Smithfield and Waterford 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 |
$1,917 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.6%±34 ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield and Waterford 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% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Waterford 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 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | — | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | None in town |
| 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.