Compare towns
Smithfield vs Oakland 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 most people working from home (22%).
Oakland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
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 | Oakland | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
6,309 |
6,519Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
43.1±4 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland 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% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Fairfield 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 |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$64,101±$11kLowest 14% below 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 |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% 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 |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
| Smithfield and Fairfield 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 |
$2,439 20% below ME |
$2,217Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Fairfield 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 | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | — | Messalonskee High School | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2Highest |
13.3Lowest |
| 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.