Compare towns
Starks vs Smithfield vs New Vineyard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
New Vineyard has the most kids (24.5% under 18).
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 | Starks | Smithfield | New Vineyard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
856Highest |
607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
47.5±9.5 6% above ME |
| Smithfield and New Vineyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.5%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Vineyard and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
27%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and New Vineyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Smithfield and New Vineyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$61,806±$19kLowest 17% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$190,000±$76k 36% below ME |
| Smithfield and New Vineyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$925±$490Lowest 19% below ME |
| Smithfield and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,136 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±5.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| New Vineyard and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
33 minLowest 32% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and New Vineyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.