Compare towns
Berwick vs Mapleton vs Sidney vs Franklin
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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Franklin has the oldest population (median age 46).
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 | Mapleton | Sidney | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
1,884 |
4,790Highest |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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 | 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.