Compare towns
Smithfield vs Sidney 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).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Waterford has the most renters (11.8% rent).
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 | Sidney | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
4,790Highest |
1,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Waterford 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% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterford 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$66,071±$17kLowest 12% below ME |
| Smithfield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$273,800±$36k 8% below ME |
| Sidney and Waterford 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$870±$405Lowest 24% below ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$1,917Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.