Compare towns
Smithfield vs Wayne 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).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Waterford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Wayne | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
1,101 |
1,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
+1.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
54.3±1.6Lowest 21% above ME |
| Smithfield and Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Wayne and Waterford 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% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Wayne 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Waterford 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 |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$66,071±$17kLowest 12% below ME |
| Smithfield and Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$273,800±$36k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$870±$405Lowest 24% below ME |
| Smithfield and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,917Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
30 minLowest 24% above ME |
34 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| 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.