Compare towns
Smithfield vs Union vs Friendship
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).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Friendship has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Union | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,213 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
55.5±6.9 24% above ME |
| Smithfield and Friendship 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Friendship 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Union 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 |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$75,625±$22kLowest about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Union 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 |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$275,000±$56kHighest 7% below ME |
| Friendship and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
| Friendship and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,866 6% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,218Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Smithfield and Friendship 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% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.