Compare towns
Ashland vs Berwick vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Berwick has the oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Ashland | Berwick | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
1,998Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
42.6±3.6 10% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±12.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashland and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$81,406±$39k about the U.S. average |
$83,488±$10kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$323,300±$36k about the U.S. average |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155 22% below U.S. |
$1,041±$901Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Highest 59% above U.S. |
$3,806 22% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.9%±45.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sidney 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ashland School District | — | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.