Compare towns
Smithfield vs Oakland vs Rome
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 the youngest population (median age 40.2).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
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 | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
6,309Highest |
1,215 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
| Smithfield and Rome 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% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Rome 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%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7% ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Oakland 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 |
$77,639±$25kLowest 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±$15k 18% below ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
$329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
| Rome 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 |
$2,439 20% below ME |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Rome 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% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
27 minLowest 8% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #23 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | — | Messalonskee High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2 |
— |
| 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.