Compare towns
Berwick vs Oakland vs Sidney
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).
Oakland has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Berwick | Oakland | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,998Lowest |
6,309Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Sidney 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% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
| Sidney and Berwick 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 |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above 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 |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above 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 |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Berwick 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest 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 | #23 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | Messalonskee High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2 |
— |
| 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.