Compare towns
Berwick vs Waterville 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 kids (22.5% under 18).
Waterville has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Waterville | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,998 |
17,077Highest |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Franklin 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%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39kHighest 9% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Berwick and Franklin 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Berwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901Highest 9% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
| Berwick and Waterville 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 |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$2,231Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Waterville Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Waterville Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.