Compare towns

Smithfield vs Palmyra

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%).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).

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.

MeasureSmithfieldPalmyra
People
Population
856Lowest
2,209Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-10.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
-3.1%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
55.8±3.5Highest
25% above ME
37.1±4.8Lowest
17% below ME
Kids under 18
10%±3.5Lowest
ME: 18.1%
29.2%±5.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
29.7%±3.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
16.7%±5.3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.7%Highest
ME: 36.2%
13.8%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3%±1.9Lowest
ME: 5.8%
4%±2.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
Palmyra 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
$60,543±$17kLowest
19% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$242,800±$15kHighest
18% below ME
$154,900±$34kLowest
48% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,109±$358Highest
about the ME average
$733±$119Lowest
36% below ME
Smithfield and Palmyra 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
$1,614Lowest
47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.9%±45.2Lowest
ME: 48.4%
47.2%±14.9Highest
ME: 48.4%
Palmyra 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%
9.1%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Lowest
6 yrs newer than ME
1994Highest
17 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
32% above ME
21 minLowest
14% below ME
Work from home
22%±7.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
7.5%±4.1Lowest
ME: 15.9%
On TownTapestry
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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.