Compare towns
Acton vs Berwick vs Winthrop
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the oldest population (median age 52.9).
Berwick has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Acton | Berwick | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,721Lowest |
8,175Highest |
6,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2Highest 18% above ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Acton and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Acton and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Berwick and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kLowest 5% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
| Berwick and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34k 13% above ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Berwick and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Berwick and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Acton and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 64% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Berwick 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 | #43 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.