Compare towns
Smithfield vs Windham 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 most people working from home (22%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Waterford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1982).
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 | Windham | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,917±$27k 44% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$66,071±$17kLowest 12% below ME |
| Windham and Smithfield 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$273,800±$36k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$870±$405Lowest 24% below ME |
| Windham and Smithfield 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,917Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
34 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 14 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.