Compare towns
Berwick vs South Berwick 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).
South Berwick has the most expensive homes ($428k 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 | South Berwick | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,998Lowest |
7,670Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% 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% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Berwick 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% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| South Berwick and Sidney 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 |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| South Berwick 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±$36kLowest 9% above ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| South Berwick 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 |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% 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 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| 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.