Compare towns
Berwick vs Waterboro vs Mapleton 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 people working from home (13.7%).
Waterboro has the most homeowners (90.1%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Waterboro | Mapleton | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
8,055Highest |
1,884 |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
42±3.1 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Waterboro 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 |
$89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36kHighest 9% above ME |
$297,000±$23k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Berwick and Waterboro 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 |
$1,200±$461Highest 5% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Waterboro 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 |
$2,772 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.2%±12.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterboro 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% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 37% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Franklin 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 | #80 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | Massabesic High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.