Compare towns
Smithfield vs Unity vs Oakland
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%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
1,858 |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$77,813±$16k 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±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Unity 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 |
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.