Compare towns
Berwick vs Eliot vs Sidney vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most renters (27% rent).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Berwick | Eliot | Sidney | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
7,146Highest |
4,790 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Eliot and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39kLowest 9% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Eliot and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Eliot and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806 25% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot and Sidney 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.