Compare towns
Berwick vs Eliot vs Topsham
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 kids (22.5% under 18).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,998Lowest |
7,146 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6Lowest 5% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36kLowest 9% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Lowest 25% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.